No specific information over Tarique’s return, says Foreign Adviser

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Tuesday (December 02) said they do not have any specific information regarding BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman’s return to home, mentioning that he has not yet sought any travel pass.

“Travel pass will be issued if he seeks. So far I know, he is yet to seek any travel pass,” he said when a journalist approached him while leaving his office – the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Asked whether Tarique holds any passport, Adviser Hossain said he does not know about the matter. “That I can’t tell you.”

He said there are preparations and arrangements for taking her abroad (for advanced treatment) but her family and party will take the decisions based on doctor’s advice.

Hossain on Sunday said the government can issue a ‘one-time’ travel pass within a day, facilitating BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman’s return to home if he wishes to come back home.

“If he (Tarique) says today that he wants to return, we can provide the pass tomorrow and he can catch the plane the day after tomorrow. There is no problem,” Adviser Hossain said while responding to a question during ‘DCAB Talk’ at the Jatiya Press Club.

The Adviser said this is a kind of ‘one-time’ pass which is usually issued if anyone does not have the passport or the passport expires. “It’s for once. It takes only one day to issue such a pass.”

Adviser Hossain said there are no restrictions from the government side.

Referring to BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia’s health condition, he said she is not in a position at this moment that allows her travelling abroad for further treatment.

If her health improves to some extent, she will be taken abroad and the party is making arrangements to this end. “We are assisting.”