Thousands of expatriates, including Bangladeshis, have been detained in Saudi Arabia since Wednesday as the authorities have begun a campaign against the violators of residence, work and border security regulations.

The Saudi interior ministry launched a joint field campaign on November 15 to pick up over-stayers and violators of residence, targeting expatriates, carriers, and operators, said diplomatic sources at the Bangladesh embassy in Riyadh.

Over 24,000 people have been rounded up so far. The majority of them were detained in Makkah while others in Riyadh and Jazan, according to Saudi Press Agency.

Among the detainees, 15,702 had breached residency laws while 3,883 tried to enter the Kingdom illegally and another 4,353 violated labour regulations.

Authorities also reported that 25 Saudi nationals were held for abetting and transporting illegal migrants.

“Saudi Arabia announced an amnesty of six months for illegal migrants and allowed another month to leave the country without paying any fine. Those who have stamps for departure can now depart the country within 60 days,” Nazrul Islam, deputy chief of mission at the Bangladesh embassy, told The Daily Star.

“But those without valid iqama or stamp for departure are being rounded up by the Saudi police,” he added.

He, however, could not give the exact number of Bangladeshi detainees.

Sources said around 2.5 million illegal migrants, including Bangladeshis, availed of the amnesty.

According to Saudi Gazette, around 1.3 million Bangladeshis, including 60,000 female domestic helps, now work in the Kingdom.

Expatriates with expired residency visas would be allowed to stay up to 60 days after the issuance of a Final Exit Visa, the Saudi General Directorate of Passports (GDP) tweeted.

The tweet came in response to a question by an expatriate asking: “I have a final exit visa and my Iqama [residency permit] has expired. Is there a problem with this?” The GDP replied, “There is no problem, provided the departure is within 60 days of the date of the issuing of the visa.”

Arab News reported that the interior ministry called upon citizens and residents to abide by regulations and instructions that prohibit dealing, hiding, sheltering, transporting, operating or providing support to those who violate residency, employment and border security. It further pointed out that security authorities would apply penalties stipulated to the maximum extent on violators.

The ministry urged citizens and residents to cooperate with security authorities, report violators or those who support them by calling 999.