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Ex-high commissioner Khairuzzaman arrested in Malaysia

Malaysian immigration police have arrested former Bangladesh high commissioner to Malaysia, M Khairuzzaman, who has been living there as a refugee for more than a decade.

He was arrested from Ampang area in Kuala Lumpur for primary interrogation on Wednesday, a Malaysian source said.  

However, his lawyer served a legal notice to the Malaysian authorities demanding his immediate release.

The lawyer said Khairuzzaman was detained without any valid reason and if he was not released in 24 hours, the lawyer would file a habeas corpus in the court.

Khairuzzaman, a retired army major, was accused in the 1975 Jail Killing case and was later acquitted was appointed high commissioner to Malaysia in 2007 during the caretaker government.

After the Awami League-led government came to power in 2009, he was recalled to Dhaka.

Assuming risks upon his return, Khairuzzaman obtained the UN Refugee Card in Kuala Lumpur and continued to stay there.