A total of 27 Bangladeshi expatriates, who had been convicted and later pardoned for participating in a protest supporting an anti-discrimination student movement, returned to Bangladesh on Monday.
They arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 8pm from Dubai.
The Bangladesh Expatriate Network welcomed the returnees at the airport. Ismail Hossain Fahim, the network's coordinator in Bangladesh, said that: "The UAE government has pardoned 188 expatriates. We expect 185 of them to return home. However, three individuals were sent back from the UAE airport for reasons unknown to us. We always extend our support to expatriates when they return. These individuals, arrested for expressing solidarity with the student movement, deserve recognition and a warm reception for their actions."
On December 2, 24 pardoned Bangladeshis returned home, following a November 29 pardon announcement by the UAE government for 75 Bangladeshi expatriates arrested for similar protests. This brought the total number of pardoned Bangladeshis to 188.
The Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment had confirmed on November 29 that the UAE granted clemency to these individuals. This marks the third phase of the general amnesty, which began on September 3 when 57 Bangladeshis were initially pardoned.
The case gained international attention after the protests against discrimination led to severe sentences. Of the 57 individuals initially convicted, three received life imprisonment, 53 were sentenced to 10 years and one was sentenced to 11 years in prison.
The clemency was reportedly facilitated through diplomatic channels, including a phone conversation on August 28 between the UAE President and Dr Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser to the Government of Bangladesh. During the call, Dr. Yunus requested leniency for the convicted expatriates, a plea that the UAE President honored.
The return of these expatriates marks a significant development in the broader context of Bangladesh-UAE relations and the ongoing advocacy for expatriate workers' rights.
