IOM agrees to help Bangladesh return its nationals detained in three SE countries

The International Organization for Migration will help Bangladesh to return its nationals, who were detained in three Southeast Asian countries while going to Malaysia by sea.

IOM Dhaka office spokesperson Asif Munier told bdnews24.com that the organisation had agreed to cooperate with Bangladesh to bring back its nationals following a proposal from the government.
 
He said discussions already started with the three countries in cooperation with their embassies in Dhaka and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to prepare a list of the Bangladeshi detainees.
 

According to international media reports, 2,000-3,000 Bangladeshis had been detained in the three countries in the last several weeks.

State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, however, differed with international media reports.

Talking to reporters on Tuesday, he said: “All those who are floating on sea are not Bangladeshis. Though Bangladeshis are among them, they are small in number.”

International media reported that there were at least 1,400 Bangladeshis among those who landed Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand by human traffickers’ boats over the last two weeks.

An estimated 25,000 Rohingyas from Myanmar and Bangladeshis boarded smugglers' boats in the first three months of this year, twice as many in the same period of 2014, the UNHCR said.

Most travel in traffickers' boats to Thailand, where they are held in jungle camps until a ransom is paid, according to the agency.

Rights organisations fear at least 8,000 people have been stranded in sea as Malaysian and Indonesian coastguards and Thai police went tough against the illegal migrants.

IOM spokesperson Munier toldbdnews24.com that the list of the detainees would be sent to Bangladesh.

Asked how many days might be taken to return the detainees, he said: “Many people are still floating in the sea. Time will be required to collect information of all.

“So right at this moment it cannot be said how many days will be needed.”

Munier said around another 2,000 people who were awaiting boarding traffickers’ boats had been stranded in borders with Myanmar.

“Coastguards and BGB are working to rescue them. Every day one or two people are being rescued and taken to Teknaf,” he added.

The UNHCR, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), IOM and the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General have urged the three countries to give shelter to the people still floating on sea.

In a joint statement, they expressed their concerns for the lives of the people, who include women and children.