No info on Tarique's return: Touhid

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said on Friday that he did not know when BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman would return to Bangladesh.

"I don't have any information regarding Tarique Rahman's return," he told journalists at the Circuit House in Rangpur on Friday morning, as he arrived for a four-day visit.

Responding to a question, Touhid stated that the Indian government is currently investigating the possibility of returning Sheikh Hasina. "We've repeatedly asked India to return Sheikh Hasina. It is up to them to determine how the issue fits into their procedures. But we remain firm in our position," he said.

The adviser stated that the hospital, which will be built in Nilphamari with Chinese assistance, will serve the entire Rangpur region.

Noting that the interim government does not have much time left, he stated that they will continue to work for the development of the Rangpur region for the duration of their tenure.

He added that issues such as employment will be taken very seriously.

The adviser stated that elections would be held in February, following which responsibilities would be handed over. The government has several plans to improve the relatively underdeveloped Rangpur region, according to the Foreign Affairs adviser.

He expressed hope that the elected government would carry out the plans that the current administration is implementing.

"The north lags behind the rest of the country. The entire cabinet is working with this in mind. We remain vigilant in ensuring that development disparities are quickly reduced," Touhid added.

He went on to say, "We're here for a short time. The elected government will implement the plans we have laid out on a continuous basis."

During his four-day visit, the Foreign Affairs Adviser plans to inspect several key locations in Rangpur and Nilphamari.