A Canadian federal court has ordered the government to review its decision not to share information about immigration status of Noor Chowdhury who is a one of 12 former army officers sentenced to death in 1998 for the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975. The judgement was upheld by the Supreme Court of Bangladesh in 2009.

The court observed that Bangladesh’s application for judicial review should be allowed because the minister failed to give serious consideration to the public interest that would be served if the information sought were disclosed.

Canada has refused the request to share information about immigration status of Noor Chowdhury on various grounds including that there was no information-sharing agreement between Bangladesh and Canada.

Noor Chowdhury came to Canada as visitors in 1996 and applied for refugee protection. In 2006, Noor Chowdhury was found to be inadmissible to Canada but he has not been deported.

Bangladesh has been in discussions with Canadian officials since 2010 about Chowdhury’s status in Canada.

The decision does not mean the minister must agree to divulge the information. It only asks the government of Canada to revisit the issue, properly weigh the relevant factors and provide adequate reasons for its decision.