Don’t forget our people trapped in Myanmar

It is unacceptable that Bangladeshi nationals who were detained by Myanmar for crossing the border illegally have been languishing in Myanmar jail even after serving their time due to long bureaucratic processes. According to a report by this daily, at least 150 Bangladeshis are currently imprisoned in the country's Buchidong prison for extended periods of time. As they suffer silently in a harsh foreign environment, their families are desperately waiting for their return, without much luck.

Among the people detained and later imprisoned by the Myanmar authorities were fishermen who were returning home through the Naf River after fishing in the Bay of Bengal, and also those like 26-year-old Salamat Ullah, who left his home in Teknaf for Malaysia in October last year in search of a better future. Although Salamat already served a jail term of six months, he still remains in the Buchidong prison. Others are also facing a similar fate, with many being awarded more rigorous punishments. The punishment for illegally entering Burmese territories, according to the Burma Immigration Act of 1947, is imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, a fine, or both, but these hapless Bangladeshis were sentenced to five years of imprisonment in violation of the law.

The question is, why should our people have to suffer in jail even after they have served their time? What steps has our government taken to ensure their quick and safe return? Salamat's family reportedly appealed to the local authorities to repatriate their son, but there has been no result yet. Bringing all these people back will definitely need state-level coordination and intervention, including a strong role from the Bangladesh Embassy in Yangon and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

We, therefore, urge them to try their best to expedite the process of repatriation. Any bureaucratic issues leading to prolonged incarcerations must be resolved immediately. Equally importantly, Bangladesh should hold Myanmar accountable for violating its own law by imprisoning our nationals for extended periods of time. This should never happen under any circumstances.