Bangladeshis sheltered in Malaysia camp to be repatriated: Envoy

Bangladesh is trying to repatriate its boatpeople held at Belantik detention centre in Kedah region of Malaysia as soon as possible, says Bangladesh High Commissioner to Malaysia Md Shahidul Islam. He said the first batch of rescued Bangladeshis would be sent back, possibly next week, Md Shahidul Islam said. He was hopeful of repatriating 716 people reportedly held at the centre shortly in phases. "I found all of them interested to return to Bangladesh, if possible within one week,” he said, adding “The Bangladesh government is very much aware of this and has taken all necessary steps to bring them back to Bangladesh from Malaysia as early as possible.” Local newspapers reported that 1,158 Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants, including women and children, who were drifting in sea, arrived in a boat at Langkawi in Kedah on May 10. The Belantik detention centre has become a temporary home for the boatpeople. The Bangladesh envoy said he visited the centre on June 2, and found that 90 per cent of the 716 illegal immigrants had unwittingly become victims to human trafficking syndicates. "Most of them told me they were taken to Bangladesh’s tourist spots Cox's Bazar and St Martin's Island …they went there to visit the places. Later, someone asked them if they want to see a 'big ship' and when they headed to it, it turned out to be just a big boat," he said, according to Bernama.