2,500 Bangladeshis in foreign jails: Minister

DHAKA - Nearly 2,500 Bangladeshi nationals are languishing in jails abroad after entering foreign countries illegally, the foreign minister disclosed in parliament Monday.

“The government has been in close contact with the countries concerned for the release of these prisoners,” Foreign Minister Dipu Moni told parliament in response to a question from a lawmaker.

Most of them had gone abroad to look for work, ministry officials said.

Malaysian jails held the highest number of Bangladeshi would-be economic migrants at 843, followed by 375 in the United Arab Emirates, the minister said.

The rest of the detainees were predominantly in the jails of Britain, Singapore, Algeria, Oman, Qatar and Greece, she said.

Bangladeshi authorities said they were monitoring the human rights of the prisoners.