Why were 219 gulf returnees detained under section 54: HC asks investigating officer

The High Court (HC) has summoned the investigating officer of Turag police station to appear before court on October 29 to explain why 219 returnees from 3 Gulf states were detained under Section 54.

The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman passed the order along with a ruling on Thursday in response to a petition filed by Shaheen Alam, a Bahrain returnee from Chandpur.

In addition, the HC has also sought an explanation from the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) court in Dhaka in this regard by October 29.

Barristers Jyotirmoy Barua and Fuad Hasan stood in court in favor of the petitioner while Deputy Attorney General Sarwar representated the state.

Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua said 219 expatriates returning from various Middle Eastern countries were put in quarantine after entering Bangladesh.

These expats were convicted of various crimes in those countries but were sent home because of the corona virus. And After coming back, they were kept in quarantine.

When the quarantine period expired, they were arrested under Section 54 by police officials, due to a general diary filed against them at the Turag Police Station, and were produced before court.

These individuals were detained for suspicious activities while in quarantine and were also accused of "tarnishing the image of the country" and "hatching a conspiracy against the government and the state". 

On July 4, the court ordered them to be sent to jail. The petitioner Shahin Alam was one of those jailed expats and he was granted bail on September 14. Shahin then applied to the HC seeking quashing of Section 54 proceedings against him.

Jyotirmoy Barua said that the investigation under section 54 has to be completed within 15 days as per the directives of the HC. But the investigation is not over yet and Shaheen Alam was in jail for more than 15 days.

That is why, the HC has summoned the investigating officer of Turag police station on October 29 to explain the investigation activities.

The CMM of Dhaka has issued a show cause in this regard.

According to the court order passed on Thursday this show cause must be explained to the HC by October 29, added Jatirmoy Barua.