Editorial
Our citizens in distress abroad
Whatever the reasons, we have responsibility towards them
Ten thousand Bangladeshis are said to be languishing in prisons in foreign countries under different charges like overstaying, violation of statutory conditions of visa including criminal offences. In bits and pieces we have heard about our citizens being stranded, detained, im-prisoned and deported, but only when such a consoli-dated figure appears in print that we sit up and take note. Or do we? May be we would be nudged to feel for them, perhaps only momentarily, at their plight in in-hospitable conditions and curse their gullibility in keeping faith with cheats.
But in the ultimate analysis, there is a serious lapse on the part of our authorities concerned, notwithstand-ing the infringement of law they might have committed. For, they are our citizens and we can't abandon them either in weal or in woes.
Is there any database for these cases in the expatriate welfare ministry duly fed by Bangladesh missions abroad from time to time? That is imperative if we are to keep tab on the individual situations and follow up on these with host governments for their release and repatriation. All forms of consular assistance and legal aid will have to be provided to them at the appropriate time. If their illegal stay in a country or commission of criminal offence is scandalous and derogatory to the image of the country, so is our image undermined and further sullied by not making timely intervention with the host authorities and providing our citizens with any help.
Apparently, money from the Wage Earners' Welfare Fund could be used for repatriating Bangladeshis who had entered a country through legitimate channels but it couldn't be used for repatriating those who entered a country through unspecified channels and thrown into jails including those guilty of overstaying. This rule should be relaxed in the interest of maintaining the country's goodwill with the host country as well as the rationale for bearing the burden of our own citizens.
Repatriation of workers should take place irrespec-tive of the alleged offences committed. Once in the country, the entire matter could be reviewed and action taken under the laws of the land.
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