Frustrated by what they called an inconclusive meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expatriates and families affected by the July uprising — including relatives of 25 detained in the UAE — announced on Sunday that they will begin a hunger strike until their demands are met and are set to meet Dr Asif Nazrul, adviser for the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.
The expatriates who returned from the UAE after being convicted for holding protests during the July uprising and later pardoned, along with relatives of 25 currently imprisoned expatriates, staged a protest by blocking the road in front of the InterContinental Dhaka.
An eight-member delegation representing the protesters held a meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the afternoon.
However, after the meeting, the delegation expressed complete dissatisfaction, stating that the meeting was inconclusive.
As a result, the protesters warned of launching a hunger strike until their demands are met.
To discuss the demands, Dr Asif Nazrul, adviser for the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, is scheduled to meet with them in the evening.
Following the meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, one of the movement's coordinators, Sagir Talukder, told journalists: “We were informed that we would meet the foreign affairs adviser or the foreign secretary. But upon arrival, we met neither. The person we met introduced himself as the director general (DG) of the [MoFA] West Asia Wing. We were not satisfied with the meeting with him. Therefore, we have now decided to begin a hunger strike at this location to continue our protest.”
Sagir said that Asif Nazrul has agreed to meet them in the evening.
The meeting is scheduled for 6:30pm at the Expatriates’ Welfare Ministry, he added.
