Staff Reporter :
A total of 302 Bangladeshis were confined in the jails of Kuwait, Qatar, Vietnam and Bahrain on the charges of link to various criminal activities. But the government of those countries pardoned them and sent them back to Bangladesh due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Though they were pardoned abroad, they did not get the benefit in their own country. After returning to Bangladesh, all of them were sent to jail as the police filed petition against them bringing criminal charges.
It is said that the involvement of these Bangladeshis in various criminal activities abroad has tarnished the image of Bangladesh in the international arena which is adversely affecting the labour market.
A total of 302 Bangladeshis were confined in the jails of Kuwait, Qatar, Vietnam and Bahrain on the charges of link to various criminal activities. But the government of those countries pardoned them and sent them back to Bangladesh due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Though they were pardoned abroad, they did not get the benefit in their own country. After returning to Bangladesh, all of them were sent to jail as the police filed petition against them bringing criminal charges.
It is said that the involvement of these Bangladeshis in various criminal activities abroad has tarnished the image of Bangladesh in the international arena which is adversely affecting the labour market.
The 302 Bangladeshis, who returned from abroad, had been kept Diabari at the quarantine center under Turag Police Station. Allegation of engaging in group-based anti-government and anti-state activities have been raised against them at various times while staying there.
In the wake of the allegations, the police applied for their detention in the GD (General Diary) case. The court accepted the application and ordered to send them to jail.
Relatives of the confined persons said that they want their release on bail. But, the prosecution said if they were released now, they could be involved in various criminal activities including theft, robbery and snatching.
A Dhaka court on July 4 this year sent 219 of than to jail. Among them, 141 returned from Kuwait, 39 from Qatar and 39 from Bahrain. And on September 1 this year, another court sent 83 other persons, who returned from abroad, to jail after police had shown them arrested under Section 54 of penal code. Of them, 81 returned from Vietnam and two from Qatar.
The court fixed September 3 for submitting an investigation report against 219 accused. But the investigation officer of the case, Turag Police Station’s Sub-Inspector Mohamamd Safiullah, could not submit the report and sought 30 days time from the court. Then the court granted him time and fixed September 20 for submitting the report.
Amir Hossain, father of Aminul Islam who came back from Qatar, said, “My son was imprisoned by the government of Qatar for five years on allegation of finding drugs in his car. But he was sent back to Bangladesh during the Coronavirus pandemic. After returning to the country he was quarantined for 14 days and after completion of quarantine he was sent to jail. The court didn’t grant him bail till date.”
Advocate Joyanta Shaha who appeared in the court for the accused said they were seeking bail for the accused but the court didn’t grant bail to them. Getting bail is a fundamental right of a citizen, added the lawyer.
Assistant Public Prosecutor of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court Advocate Hemayet Uddin Khan Hiron said, “The accused had tarnished the image of the country and even they were involved in the subversive activities during their staying in quarantine. The allegations raised against them are under investigation. So they cannot get bail in this situation.”
Relatives of the confined persons said that they want their release on bail. But, the prosecution said if they were released now, they could be involved in various criminal activities including theft, robbery and snatching.
A Dhaka court on July 4 this year sent 219 of than to jail. Among them, 141 returned from Kuwait, 39 from Qatar and 39 from Bahrain. And on September 1 this year, another court sent 83 other persons, who returned from abroad, to jail after police had shown them arrested under Section 54 of penal code. Of them, 81 returned from Vietnam and two from Qatar.
The court fixed September 3 for submitting an investigation report against 219 accused. But the investigation officer of the case, Turag Police Station’s Sub-Inspector Mohamamd Safiullah, could not submit the report and sought 30 days time from the court. Then the court granted him time and fixed September 20 for submitting the report.
Amir Hossain, father of Aminul Islam who came back from Qatar, said, “My son was imprisoned by the government of Qatar for five years on allegation of finding drugs in his car. But he was sent back to Bangladesh during the Coronavirus pandemic. After returning to the country he was quarantined for 14 days and after completion of quarantine he was sent to jail. The court didn’t grant him bail till date.”
Advocate Joyanta Shaha who appeared in the court for the accused said they were seeking bail for the accused but the court didn’t grant bail to them. Getting bail is a fundamental right of a citizen, added the lawyer.
Assistant Public Prosecutor of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court Advocate Hemayet Uddin Khan Hiron said, “The accused had tarnished the image of the country and even they were involved in the subversive activities during their staying in quarantine. The allegations raised against them are under investigation. So they cannot get bail in this situation.”
