Over 9,000 Bangladeshis are currently in jails in 26 countries across the world, Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said in Parliament on Monday based on information available from different missions of the country.

Out of total 9,370 imprisoned Bangladeshis abroad, the highest number, 5,746, is in prisons of Saudi Arabia, he said responding to a question from independent Member of Parliament Mohammad Huchamuddin Chowdhury (Sylhet-5).

The numbers in remaining 25 countries are: Portugal (1), Algeria (1), Japan (2), Sri Lanka (3), Thailand (4), Korea (6), Egypt (6), China (Kunming 7), Libya (9), Italy (81), South Africa (385), Qatar (415), Spain (19), Hong Kong (122), Singapore (66), Brunei (16), China (Beijing 184), Abu Dhabi (404), Indonesia (49), Malaysia (219), Lebanon (28), Greece (414), Iraq (217), Turkey (508), Myanmar (358) and Jordan (100).

No information regarding detained Bangladeshis in India and Pakistan was available in the minister’s reply. 

The foreign minister informed the House that from July 2023 to February 2024, a total of 1,226 Bangladeshis were brought home from Libya, 51 from France and other European countries.

Another 1,950 Bangladeshis were brought back from prisons in India, Myanmar and various countries in the Middle East, he added.

Dr Mahmud also said the Foreign Ministry, Expatriates Welfate Ministry and country’s missions overseas and International Organisation for Migration (IOM) play an important role in freeing the expatriate Bangladeshis from imprisonment.

Besides, the government is in contact with concerned police stations and public prosecution offices to ensure speedy and fair investigation of complaints against the Bangladeshi migrants, he said.

Occasionally, communications take place at the highest level for special and general amnesty for the detained Bangladeshis abroad, he added.