Rayhan Kabir returns home from Malaysia

The young Bangladeshi migrant, Rayhan Kabir, who was arrested in Malaysia for appearing in Al Jazeera documentary on migrant workers, has returned home last night.

He landed at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on a Malaysian Airlines flight MH-196 at 1am on Saturday (August 22).

He was welcomed home by the Head of Brac's Migration Shariful Hasan and his parents.

Confirming the matter to The Business Standard, Shariful Hasan said, "The emotional reconciliation of Rayhan and his parents touched everyone present there."

Upon his returning, Rayhan's father Shah Alam said, "We were eagerly waiting for our son. He's here now and it feels like the auspicious Eid moon in our hands!"

"The joy I feel is inexplicable," said Rayhan in his quick response, adding, "I am grateful to everyone who were by my side at home and abroad."

Meanwhile, relatives and neighbors started gathering at Rayhan's residence to meet him since morning. The family and locals have expressed their gratitude to everyone, including the government, for helping to get their child back.

Meherunnesa, the younger sister of Raihan Kabir, said, "We don't need money. Our biggest consolation is that my brother returned home, which has helped recouping our peace of mind."

Earlier on Wednesday, Rayhan's lawyers said that he would be sent home if tickets were available after his novel coronavirus screening. The Malaysian Immigration Department would not bring any more charges against Rayhan, they said.

On July 3, 2020, Al Jazeera released a documentary, "Locked Up in Malaysia's Lockdown," that documented the mistreatment towards the migrant workers by the Malaysian authorities under the movement control order implemented to respond to Covid-19.

It detailed how the Malaysian authorities, namely the Immigration Department and police, conducted raids in areas heavily occupied by migrants and refugee communities.

Following these raids, those arrested were taken to immigration detention centres that are well known to be cramped, unhygienic and poorly maintained.

Some detention centres also saw spikes in cases of Covid-19 infections.

Mohamad Rayhan Kabir, a Bangladeshi migrant worker in Malaysia, was featured in the documentary. He expressed his concerns about the Malaysian government's actions.