9640 Bangladeshis in foreign jails: Mahmood Ali

A total of 9640 Bangladesh citizens were detained in jails of 38 countries across the world including the USA, the UK, Australia and different middle-eastern countries.

"According to the latest data so far I received from different Bangladesh missions abroad, some 9640 Bangladeshi citizens are detained in different jails abroad for involvement with various types of crimes," said Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali here today.

Responding to a tabled question of treasury bench member Md. Shamsul Huq Tuku, the minister informed the House that the missions concerned have been providing necessary legal support so that they could be released through legal process.

Of the total detainees, 2469 Bangladeshi citizens are in the jails in Malaysia while 2337 are in India, 1098 in the United Arab Emirates, 1048 in Oman, 703 in Saudi Arabia, 370 in Bahrain, 261 in Kuwait, 123 in Greece, 121 in Iraq, 218 in UK, 98 in Myanmar, 65 in Japan, 26 in the USA and 39 in Australia.

Mahmood Ali said the Bangladesh missions abroad provide travel permit to the illegally migrated Bangladeshi citizens for returning home after their release from the jails.

Responding to another query from Jatiya Party lawmaker Begum Salma Islam, the foreign minister informed the House that the Awami League government has been working relentlessly for a permanent and acceptable solution to the Rohingya refugee crisis.

He said the government has been continuing discussions with the Myanmar government and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to prevent influx of Rohinga refugees into Bangladesh.

The minister said a total of 33,000 registered and over 3,00,000 unregistered Myanmar citizens from the Rakhaine state took shelter in different refugee camps in Cox`s Bazar district at times.

Recently, more than 69,000 Myanmar citizens crossed the border and entered Bangladesh during the recent Myanmar army sponsored crackdown on Rakhaine state, he added.

Source : BSS