JULY 25 — The Bangladeshi civil society organisations working on migration and development express deep concern over the arrest of a young Bangladeshi Rayhan Kabir who was arrested yesterday for speaking in a documentary broadcasted by Al Jazeera, an international media outlet, about the discriminatory treatment of migrant workers in Malaysia.

We demand his immediate release and protection. They also requested the Bangladesh High Commission in Malaysia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment (MoEWOE) in Dhaka and concerned international organizations to take necessary action in this regard.

The call was circulated in a joint statement of 21 organisations today. 

The investigative documentary titled ‘Locked Up in Malaysia’s Lockdown’ was broadcasted on July 3 2020 as part of Al Jazeera’s "101 East” documentary series. It shows that the Malaysian government is discriminating against migrants during the epidemic through the Movement Control Order (MCO). The evidence shown in the documentary on Malaysia’s crackdown on immigrants is reprehensible and deeply troubling. There have been similar allegations in the past against Malaysian law enforcement agencies.

The CSOs issued the statement on July 11 calling on Malaysian law enforcement authorities to investigate such allegations and expressed our concerns when the journalists of Al Jazeera were called to Malaysia Central Police Headquarter for questioning. 

The Immigration Department of Malaysia also issued a search warrant for Rayhan Kabir (25) who was interviewed in the documentary. The local administration had issued a summon to seek his personal information and issued a notice in the newspapers. He was subsequently arrested on Friday. His handcuffed photos where shared in the media and Malaysian authority announced that Rayhan will be deported and banned from entering into Malaysia forever. 

Rayhan has been staying in Malaysia legally before Malaysian authorities abruptly rejected his work permit for giving the interview. The statement pointed out that an interview to the media is not a crime and Rayhan Kabir did not commit any crime.

Rayhan Kabir’s family and local people of Naryanganj where he hails from, stated that as a conscious person Rayhan always expressed his opoinion on issues that he deems unfair. We call upon Malaysian government and law enforcement agencies not to harass him. In this regard, we request the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment and the Bangladesh High Commission of Malaysia to take appropriate measures to protect Rayhan and respect the rights and dignity of all migrants. 

This joint statement is being made by Brac, Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU), Bangladesh Nari Sramik Kendro (BNSK), IID Migration Policy Unit, WARBE Development Foundation, , Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF), Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Program (OKUP), Ain o Shalish Kendra (ASK), Bangladeshi Ovhibashi Mohila Sramik Association (BOMSA), BASUG, INAFI Bangladesh, Karmojibi Nari, Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha (BNPS), Devcom, Human Rights Support Society (HRSS), Awaj Foundation, Rights Jessore, BILS, Bastob, Film for Peace Foundation, and Migration News.  

*This is the personal opinion of the writer(s) or organisation(s) and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.