BD to repatriate boatpeople from Malaysia

Bangladesh is trying to repatriate its boatpeople held at the Belantik detention centre in Kedah of Malaysia as soon as possible, says Bangladeshi High Commissioner to Malaysia Md Shahidul Islam. He said the first batch would be sent back, possibly next week, and he was hopeful of repatriating 716 people reportedly held at the centre in phases. "I found all of them interested to return to Bangladesh, if possible before Ramadan. So, my government is very much aware of this and has taken all necessary steps to send them to Bangladesh as early as possible," Shahidul Islam told the Malaysian news agency Bernama on Friday    — UNB