The High Court has stayed the investigation of the case filed against 83 Bangladeshi workers who returned from Vietnam and Qatar, for three months.
The High Court bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman passed the order on Thursday after hearing a petition filed by Md Rahman, a returnee from Vietnam who challenged the case proceedings.
Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua stood for the petition while Deputy Attorney General Md Sarwar Hossain represented the state.
Earlier on September 21, the High Court issued a rule asking the government to explain why it should not be directed to release the 83 Bangladeshi migrant workers, who were arrested upon the completion of their quarantine at Diabari Camp in Dhaka following their return from Vietnam and Qatar.
Also Read- The Vietnam conundrum
The court asked the authorities concerned to provide the explanation within two weeks.
The High Court passed the order after hearing a writ in this regard. Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Salah Uddin Reagan stood for the writ petition.
Secretaries to the ministries of home, law, and foreign affairs, the inspector general of police, the inspector general of prisons, and the officer-in-charge of Turag police station were made respondents to the rule.
On September 1, police arrested and jailed the 83 migrant workers — 81 from Vietnam and two from Qatar — suspecting that they might become involved in criminal activities.
Metropolitan Magistrate Satyabrata Sikder passed the order after Sub-Inspector Md Anower Hossain of Turag police station produced them before the court seeking an order to keep them in jail until the investigation is completed.
Also Read- HC issues rule over release of 83 migrant workers
According to the prayer placed by police before the court, the arrested migrant workers were involved in various criminal activities in Vietnam and were imprisoned there.
Moreover, police found from insider sources that they planned destructive activities, including anti-government movement, during their stay at the quarantine centre.
On August 18, a total of 106 migrant workers returned home from Vietnam on a special flight and were kept at the Diabari Quarantine Camp for 14 days.
They were interrogated by police in several stages.
Upon the completion of their quarantine, 83 of the migrants were arrested and the remaining 23 were released.
