The Saudi Arabian authorities detained 21 Bangladeshi migrant workers on suspicion of staying there illegally, said Bangladesh Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Md Shahidul Islam.
“Since the drive on November 4, the authorities have detained 21 Bangladeshi migrant workers, but 17 of them were later released after finding legal documents,” Shahidul told the Dhaka Tribune over the phone yesterday.
The ambassador said a total of 17,000 to 18,000 foreign workers were detained during the drive.
Of them, 8,000 to 9,000 were Yemeni citizens. Officials at the Bangladesh Embassy said they did not know how many Bangladeshi workers were staying in the oil-rich country.