Former Bangladesh minister and Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader, Salahuddin Ahmed said that he was eager to back to Bangladesh.
Ahmed has been in Meghalaya’s state capital, Shillong for the past three years, after he mysteriously landed without valid documents in Indian territory. He was charged of trespassing into Indian territory under section 14 of the Foreigners Act, 1946.
On May 11, 2015, at around 5.30 am, Ahmed was spotted at Golf Link area in Shillong and police were informed that an individual was “suspiciously and aimlessly” moving in the area.
On May 12, 2015, he was arrested by the Meghalaya police for entering India without documents, but he was out on bail since June 5, 2015. On October 15, the court of judicial magistrate (first class) will pass its judgment.
“I am eager to go back to Bangladesh. I want to go back to my country,” Ahmed while speaking to Northeast Now in Shillong.
Ahmed was granted bail by a lower court in Shillong on June 5, 2015.
Staying in Meghalaya, an Indian state which shares a long porous border with Bangladesh, Ahmed had also learnt few words spoken by the Khasi tribe like ‘khublei’ (thank you), ‘kumno phi long (how are you?).’
The Khasi people are one of the major tribes in Meghalaya . The Khasi people are also living in some parts of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh will go to parliamentary elections in December this year and the opposition parties led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Sia had set pre-conditions for taking part in the national polls.
Some of the conditions set include freeing of Khaleda Zia and party activists, withdrawal of politically motivated cases, dissolution of the current parliament, reconstruction of of Election Commission, deployment of military during election period along with administrative power and the elections should be conducted under a neutral non-partisan government.
“If the elections are held under these conditions, we will join the election and we are hopeful that the BNP and its allies will come back to power,” Ahmed said.
Even though he is away from his country for more than three years, Ahmed has been in close touch with his party leaders in Bangladesh.
Ahmed Ahmed had served as communications minister in the BNP government led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia from 2001 to 2006.
In the BNP, Ahmed is the member of the National Standing Committee, the highest decision making committee of the party.