Rashed Chow's stay in USA irks Congressman

 
US Republican Congressman Anthony P. D'Esposito said he would ask the State Department and Homeland Security Department how Rashed Chowdhury, a death-row convict fugitive of Bangabandhu killing case, is staying in the USA.

"After returning to Capitol Hill, I will talk to my colleagues, State Department and Homeland Department. I will also ask how Rashed Chowdhury, a convicted in the Bangabandhu murder case is staying in the USA," he said. Anthony, also a member of US Congress Committee on Homeland Security and chair of Emergency Management and Technology Affairs Sub-Committee, said these while addressing a view-exchange meeting in New York.

 'Friends of Bangladesh' an organization of Bangladesh diaspora living in USA organized the meeting at a Long Island party hall Thursday, said a press release received on Saturday.

The Congressman said, "I also get upset witnessing the tensions of Bangladeshi expats over fabricated and baseless propaganda against the situation of their motherland as many people of his constituency are Bangladeshi Americans."

In the meeting, one of the organizers of 'Friends of Bangladesh' journalist Lablu Ansar raised the issue of fugitive convict Rashed Chowdhury.
Responding to the matter, the Congressman noted that former US President Donald Trump had asked his Attorney General Bill Barr to look into the matter. As Trump lost the 2020 Presidential elections, there has been no development of the issue, he mentioned.

He urged the Bangladeshi Americans to provide him with necessary documents on Rashed Chowdhury issue. Anthony said the US cannot be a safe haven for any major criminal or human right violator like Rashed Chowdhury.

Rashed Chowdhury is a former Bangladesh Army officer. He was a participant in the coup that led to the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father and President of Bangladesh, in 1975. After the coup, the new constitution granted him and other conspirators immunity and he went on to work as a diplomat for the Bangladesh government.

After present prime minister Sheikh Hasina came to power in 1996, Rashed Chowdhury travelled to the United States and requested asylum which was granted. He was convicted and sentenced to death in absentia and the Bangladesh government is seeking his extradition.

On August 15 in 1975, some army officers attacked Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's house and killed him along with his entire family except two of his daughters who were living abroad.

Rashed Chowdhury was promoted to lieutenant colonel by the regime that followed.
None of the five convicted fugitive killers of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who have been hiding abroad, could be brought back home despite the government's persistent efforts.

The five fugitives are Khandaker Abdur Rashid, Shariful Haque Dalim, Nur Chowdhury, Rashed Chowdhury and Moslehuddin Khan.

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