Bangladeshi expatriate Md Rayhan Kabir, who was arrested on Friday for criticising the Malaysian government over its treatment of undocumented immigrants amid the Covid-19 pandemic, will be repatriated home.
Confirming the development, the Malaysian state news agency Bernama added that Rayhan, 25, would also be blacklisted so that he could never return to Malaysia.
"This Bangladeshi national will be deported and blacklisted from entering Malaysia forever," immigration director-general Khairul Dzaimee Daud said in a statement.
The Malaysian immigration department has meanwhile revoked his work permit.
Meanwhile, Al Jazeera released a statement condemning the arrest of Rayhan saying: “It is disturbing that someone had been detained for speaking up for the voiceless and vulnerable.”
Rayhan had been on the run since Malaysian police launched an investigation after Al Jazeera aired a documentary on July 3, in which he made some comments about how undocumented immigrants were being treated in the country.
But the Malaysian authorities have since been accusing Rayhan of making false allegations about Malaysia’s handling of such immigrants in face of the coronavirus outbreak.
They also dubbed the July 3 documentary "inaccurate and biased", with local police investigating the international television channel for its airing of the documentary.
Dhaka Tribune repeatedly tried to contact Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, Expatriates Welfare Minister Imran Ahmad and secretary to the ministry, Ahmed Munirus Saleheen on the issue, but in vain.
Two local lawyers -- Sumitha Shaanthinni Kishna (Chambers of Sumitha) and Selvaraja Chinniah (Messrs CR Selva) -- have been appointed for Rayhan, said Brac’s Migration Programme Head Shariful Islam.
Rayhan is now in police custody and will be interrogated. He is yet to be sent to jail as he may be kept in police custody for the next two weeks, he said.
“But his lawyers can confirm what charges have been brought against him exactly, on Monday,” he added.
What Al Jazeera says
Al Jazeera has defended its journalism.
The documentary, titled Locked Up in Malaysia's Lockdown, investigated undocumented immigrants it said were at risk during the coronavirus pandemic.
More than 2,000 migrant workers were arrested during raids in areas in the capital Kuala Lumpur that were placed under tight virus lockdowns.
The documentary investigated the plight of thousands of undocumented migrant workers arrested during raids in areas under tight lockdowns.
Malaysian Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob called on Al Jazeera to apologise to Malaysians, adding that allegations of racism and discrimination against undocumented migrants were untrue.
Malaysian police announced an investigation of Al Jazeera staff over potential sedition, defamation, and violation of the country's Communications and Multimedia Act.
In a statement, the Qatar-based broadcaster on Thursday said it stands by "the professionalism, quality, and impartiality of its journalism", and warned of "serious concerns about developments that have occurred in Malaysia since the broadcast of the documentary".
The documentary also highlighted Malaysia's success in containing the virus and the humanitarian efforts of Malaysian organisations to provide direct assistance to migrants in need, the statement reads.
The filmmakers sought senior government officials' comments, but repeated requests for interviews were not accepted, according to the statement. Still, Al Jazeera "produced a balanced film by including comments made by the Defense Minister at two press conferences", it said.
It added that the weekly programme "has a reputation for producing in-depth journalism of the highest quality. Many of its programmes have been internationally recognised with prestigious awards from across the globe."
Rayhan claims innocence
In a video message recorded on July 9, which apparently was published hours before his arrest on Friday, Rayhan said he was unsure under which law he was being sought by Malaysian authorities.
Expressing his hope that the Bangladesh prime minister would watch the video, he said: “I don’t really know for which crime I’m wanted by them.”
The 25-year-old went on to say: “I just told the interviewer what I saw and what happened here (in Malaysia).”
The Malaysia government had assured that no undocumented migrant workers would be arrested during lockdown enforced due to the coronavirus outbreak, but since May 1, it started a crackdown on them, he said.
“The development hurt me… So, I just said that what had happened was not fair. If speaking the truth is a crime, I did exactly that,” Rayhan continued.
He also urged the Bangladesh embassy in Malaysia to take necessary measures to take him back home.
“I don’t even know what will happen to me, and how bad things will be,” he said in an appealing tone.
“If I’m not alive (after being arrested), please be notified that the sacrifice was for speaking the truth, on behalf of hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshi migrants living across the world,” Rayhan further said.
“If I lose and face injustice, it will be a defeat for you all and Bangladesh,” he said.
The Bangladeshi expatriate again claimed his innocence, saying: “Arresting during a pandemic is something inhuman, which I focused on in the interview.”
He said: “I did not demean Malaysians by describing the situation. If they think so, they are wrong. I just spoke on humanitarian grounds.”
In his concluding remarks, he urged the people of Bangladesh to stand by him.
Rayhan’s family saddened
Hailing from Nrayanganj’s Bandar area, Rayhan’s father Shah Alam, who works in an RMG factory in the district’s Fatullah area, said he was aware of the development.
“I heard the news (of Rayhan’s arrest) last night. One sent me some photos of Rayhan after the arrest, he said, adding, “My son has been protesting injustice since childhood. He never committed any crime.”
Upon passing HSC from Tolaram College, Rayhan moved to Malaysia, where he obtained a BA degree, Shah Alam recalled.
In a heavy voice, he went on saying: “Rayhan’s mother fell sick just thinking of him. I heard from various sources that he was arrested just because of speaking against injustice.”
“I believe my son just spoke the truth as he has always been just. I would like the entire nation to stand by him,” Shah Alam added.
Voices raised against Rayhan’s arrest
Brac’s Migration Programme Head Shariful Islam told Dhaka Tribune that whatever had happened with the Bangladeshi ever since the July 3 interview was very unfortunate.
“Talking to the media about a certain issue cannot be a crime, for which Rayhan is arrested,” he said, adding, “The documentary also interviewed many other immigrants, but none of them faced such harassment.”
Shariful, who also worked as a migration journalist for quite some time, said the way Rayhan’s work permit was cancelled is also illogical.
“Even some Malaysian lawyers were not sure of which law allows such an action,” he said.
Bangladeshi expatriates in Malaysia are always subjected to subjugation as compared to those from other countries working in the Asian nation, Shariful said.
A subservient attitude among Bangladeshis may have led to the situation, he added.
Meanwhile, 21 civil society and non-government organisations issued a joint statement on Saturday over the arrest, demanding protection for Rayhan.
They also requested the Bangladesh High Commission in Malaysia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment (MoEWOE) in Dhaka, and relevant international organizations to take necessary action in this regard.
The joint statement was issued by Brac, Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU), Bangladesh Nari Sramik Kendro (BNSK), IID Migration Policy Unit, WARBE Development Foundation, , Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF), Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Program (OKUP), Ain o Shalish Kendra (ASK), Bangladeshi Ovhibashi Mohila Sramik Association (BOMSA), BASUG, INAFI Bangladesh, Karmojibi Nari, Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha (BNPS), Devcom, Human Rights Support Society (HRSS), Awaj Foundation, Rights Jessore, BILS, Bastob, Film for Peace Foundation, and Migration News.