Bangladesh urged to free 255 returnee workers

Bangladesh Desk: Two international rights groups on Saturday urged the Bangladesh government to release 255 returnee migration workers from prisons as they did not commit any crime after returning home from abroad.

These 255 migrant workers ‘have already been punished’ in their destination countries where they were appointed in jobs and ‘have not committed any new crime’ after returning home, Migration Forum in Asia and Lawyers Beyond Borders Network said in a joint statement.

They have completed their quarantine for COVID-19 pandemic after their deportation from Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, the two organisations said, adding that the said workers are now kept detained in the Kashimpur jail in Gazipur, Bangladesh, for alleged violation of Section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure for ‘suspicious activities’.