238 Indians in Bangladesh Jails, 168 Await Repatriation After Serving Sentences
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
At least 168 Indians who have completed their prison sentences in Bangladesh remain behind bars awaiting repatriation, although India’s High Commission in Dhaka says only 25 verified Indian nationals are currently awaiting return.
Bangladesh has 407 foreign prisoners from 15 countries, with Indians accounting for the largest share at 238, according to a report by The Daily Star on Friday. More than half of the Indian prisoners have completed their sentences, but nationality verification and delays in repatriation have prolonged their detention.
Nationality Verification Holds Up Repatriation
An official from the Consular Wing of the High Commission of India (HCI) in Dhaka told The Daily Star that Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry had shared lists identifying 121 prisoners as Indians who had completed their sentences.
However, the information provided for most of these prisoners was insufficient to establish their Indian nationality, the official said.
The High Commission has sought access to the prisoners to verify their identities and is awaiting a response from Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry. Verification proceedings are also under way in some cases.
The discrepancy between the 168 Indian prisoners reported to have completed their sentences and the 25 verified nationals awaiting repatriation highlights the difficulties in confirming identities before arranging their return.
Earlier Report Also Flagged Delays
In June, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported that 148 Indians were among 152 foreign prisoners in Bangladesh awaiting repatriation after completing their sentences, citing prison statistics published six months earlier.
An official had then attributed the prolonged detention to delays in identification, bureaucratic hurdles and a lack of diplomatic action.
Myanmar Nationals Form Second-Largest Group
Prisoners from Myanmar form the second-largest group of foreign inmates in Bangladesh, with 133 people in jail. Only one of them has completed their sentence and is awaiting repatriation, according to The Daily Star.
The remaining foreign prisoners include six Nigerians and three each from Pakistan and Malaysia.
Foreign inmates are reportedly housed in separate cells for security reasons, with CCTV cameras monitoring areas outside their wards.
Prison officials told The Daily Star that keeping foreign prisoners in custody after they have completed their sentences was creating logistical difficulties and adding to the government’s costs.
