Bangladesh
Oman 17 people including women MP detained in Oman for political reasons freed
Dhaka, August 4: The Director General of the Public Diplomacy Branch of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Seheli Sabrin, said that 17 people, including Member of Parliament (Chittagong) Khadijatul Anwar Soni, who were detained by the law enforcement forces of that country for attending a political meeting in Oman, are now free. She said this at the weekly media briefing organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday.
Regarding the detention of women parliamentarians in Oman, she said, after learning about the matter, the Bangladesh Embassy in Oman has taken necessary measures and released a total of 17 people including parliamentarians. Now everyone is released.
She said that the Prime Minister emphasized on the Bangladeshi diaspora to respect and obey the local laws and regulations. Therefore, we expect Bangladeshi expatriates to abide by local laws and regulations when Bangladeshi leaders and high-level representatives travel abroad to meet and hold meetings with anyone. So as not to face any embarrassing situation. Because it is as embarrassing for the expatriate as it is for the government.
Seheli said, "I learned a little while ago that all the 17 people who were detained have been released. We have learned that there is a ban on holding any kind of meeting in Oman. As far as we know the expatriate Bangladeshis who organized the meeting did not take permission. They did not take permission and were outnumbered. Since it was done in a hotel, the police action is like this."
She said, "I got to know from the embassy that our embassy officials went and explained and freed him from police custody."
When asked whether the surety has been taken or not, she said, everything that happens in the embassy has an official procedure. They were released from police custody only through an undertaking or intervention by the embassy when the embassy intervened there. I do not know from where they were released, as far as I know, among the 17 people, Omani expatriates were released first. Then later those who were from United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia were released today. None are currently in police custody.
