DHAKA: Referring to reports of India extending the visa of deposed PM Sheikh Hasina, the Bangladesh interim govt on Thursday clarified that visa-related matters become irrelevant once a passport has been cancelled. She had escaped to India in Aug last year after mass protests against her led to the fall of the Awami League govt. It appears she is in India on a residence permit, which is different from a visa.
Earlier, the Bangladesh govt had revoked the passports of 97 people, including Hasina, citing their alleged involvement in “enforced disappearances” and killings during the protests. “I’ll provide a general answer: if a passport is cancelled, the issue of a visa no longer exists,” foreign affairs ministry spokesperson Mohammad Rafiqul Alam told reporters.
He said information regarding passport cancellations is communicated to Bangladesh missions abroad to ensure that countries with diplomatic ties to Bangladesh are aware of such actions. Asked about reports of visa extension, foreign adviser Md Touhid Hossain said, “Like you, I also learned about this through the newspaper. What can we do?” He added that India is yet to respond to request for Hasina’s extradition.