Bangladeshi civil society organizations (CSO) working on migration and development have expressed deep concern about reports of the Malaysian government launching a manhunt for a Bangladeshi. He gave an interview on international media Al Jazeera’s documentary, on the mistreatment of migrant workers in Malaysia.
21 CSOs jointly released a statement on Saturday where they termed the manhunt “a blatant attempt to muzzle freedom of the press and human rights abuse by the Malaysian authorities.”
On Tuesday, it was reported that the Immigration Department of Malaysia issued a search warrant for a Bangladeshi migrant Raihan Kabir, 25. He was recently interviewed by Al Jazeera for the documentary "Locked up in Malaysia's Lockdown."
Six Al Jazeera media workers were called to Malaysia Central Police Headquarters on July 10 for questioning.
They are being investigated for alleged defamation and sedition by the Malaysian police.
Following the news report, the Bangladeshi civil society bodies in their joint statement called on the Malaysian government not to harass the journalists and expatriates.
They called instead the Malaysian government to investigate and take action against those who have been treating the migrants unjustly.
They also requested the Bangladesh High Commission of Malaysia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment (MoEWOE) in Dhaka, and other international organizations, to take appropriate measures to protect the rights and dignity of expatriates.
“We want to make it clear that giving an interview to the media is not a crime and Raihan Kabir did not commit any crime. He is staying there legally, although the Malaysian authority has launched a manhunt as if he is a big criminal,” the statement says.
The joint statement was made by the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU), WARBE Development Foundation, Brac, Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF), Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Program (OKUP), Bangladesh Nari Sramik Kendro (BNSK), IID Migration Policy Unit, Human Rights Support Society (HRSS), Bangladeshi Ovhibashi Mohila Sramik Association (BOMSA), BASUG, INAFI Bangladesh, Karmojibi Nari, Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha (BNPS), Devcom, IMA, Awaj Foundation, Rights Jessore, BILS, Bastob, Film for Peace Foundation, and Migration News.
