South Africa urged to extradite two accused of 21 Aug grenade attack
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam on Tuesday urged South Africa to send back two accused of the 21 August 2004 grenade attack in Dhaka.
The state minister made the call during a meeting with South African Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Candith Mashego-Dlamini at the state guest house Padma in the capital.
In response, Candith Mashego-Dlamini assured of cooperation in this regard, according to a press release.
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"We have learned that two accused of the 21 August grenade attack have been living in South Africa. We are sure about the whereabouts of one of them," the state minister said, adding that Bangladesh will hopefully get necessary cooperation to bring them back.
"We also discussed ways of strengthening bilateral economic relation," he noted and said that the South African Deputy Minister held a meeting with the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry for further enhancing bilateral trades.
"We also sought cooperation from the country to import coal."
Shahriar Alam urged his counterpart to open a South African consulate in Dhaka. In response, Dlamini stated that her country will consider the proposal.
The state minister thanked South Africa for its support towards Bangladeshi citizens living there. He also underscored the need for introduction of direct air connectivity.
The Bangladesh side also urged South African entrepreneurs to invest in the country's high-tech parks and in the fields of agriculture, IT and climate change initiatives, the release reads.
In response, the South African deputy minister termed pharmaceuticals, textiles and blue economy as the potential areas of cooperation. She stressed the need for exchange of visits of business delegations between two friendly countries on a regular basis.
Earlier, Dlamini-led South African delegation visited the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi. The deputy minister is also scheduled to join the Indian Ocean Rim Association Council of Ministers to be held in Dhaka.
