A Dhaka court today gave police 10 more working days to complete the investigation into the allegation brought against 219 returnees from Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain.

They were shown arrested on July 4 under section 54 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) for their alleged involvement in "tarnishing the image of the government".

Metropolitan Magistrate Debbrata Biswas passed the order after Md Shafiullah, an inspector of Turag Police Station and also the investigation officer of the case, submitted a petition seeking 30 more working days to complete the probe.

In the prayer, the IO said he could not complete the probe as there are a large number of accused in the case.

Turag police, after gathering information from different sources about the 219 returnees who were at a quarantine ecentre in Turag area for 14 days, submitted a forwarding report to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhakaon July 4.

After evaluating the forwarding report, Metropolitan Magistrate Debbrata Biswas granted it and sent the returnees to Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj.

IO Shafiullah in the forwarding report said the arrestees were convicted for different terms of punishment for their involvement in criminal offences committed in the three countries.

But due to Covid-19 pandemic, the government of the countries commuted their punishment and sent them back to Bangladesh.