Families of expatriates claimed that many Bangladeshi expatriates have been detained in several Middle East countries for holding demonstrations in solidarity with the anti-discrimination student movement in Bangladesh.
During a human chain organised by the Bangladesh Expatriate Rights Unity Council and the Foundation for Law and Development in front of the capital鈥檚 anti-terrorism Raju Memorial Sculpture, they also called on the interim government to intervene and secure the release of those detained in countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.聽
Speakers, including lawyers, also urged the interim government to take immediate diplomatic action to secure the release of 57 Bangladeshi nationals who were sentenced to prison terms ranging from life imprisonment to 11 years 1for 鈥榞athering and inciting riots鈥� during protests on July 19 in the UAE.
Moriam Akter, mother of two minors from Sunamganj, said that her husband, Ali Ahmad, who was involved in the protest, was detained by UAE law enforcement officers at the airport on August 4 while attempting to return home.
She, in tears, said, 鈥楳y husband was able to inform me over the phone that he was being detained, but since then, we have no idea where he is. We borrowed a good amount of money to send him to the UAE, and he is the sole breadwinner for our family.鈥櫬犅�
Jinia, wife of expatriate Amir Hossain, said that her husband along with seven other Bangladeshis only took a picture with placards protesting murders of innocent people during quota protest on July 19 in Saudi Arabia.
Jinia, who was in Saudi Arabia at the time and managed to meet her husband once before returning to Bangladesh on July 29, said, 鈥楬er husband and seven others were detained from their homes an hour after the protest. They are currently at the Sultana Police Station in Sharurah, Najran Province, and have not been convicted yet.鈥�
Two expatriates, Salah Uddin and Rafsan Jany, both members of the Bangladesh Expatriate Rights Unity Council, claimed that they were detained on July 22 and deported in August for advocating a remittance shutdown on behalf of their council.
They alleged that Embassy of Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi did not take any steps for the expatriated.
Expressing regret over the lack of visible action to secure the release of the convicted expatriates, Supreme Court lawyer Fawzia Karim Firoz urged the government to undertake immediate diplomatic efforts to secure their release and publish a list of the convicted and detained people.
Barrister Sajib Mahmud noted that, despite demonstrations being illegal in many Middle Eastern countries, expatriates were compelled to break the law due to a complete internet blackout that prevented them from contacting their families and the government鈥檚 murder of innocent people.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in a preliminary report released on August 16, said that about 650 people were killed and thousands of protesters and bystanders injured during student protests in Bangladesh between July 16 and August 11.
The mass upsurge led by student protests led to the ouster of long-time ruler Hasina, who resigned on August 5 and fled to India.聽
