It was the first drive conducted by DB police against the illegal foreigners in large scale
Detective Branch (DB) of police in a special drive in capital’s Uttara, Rampura and Gulshan areas early yesterday arrested 31 foreign nationals of 10 African countries for staying in the country without having any legal documents.
It was the first drive conducted by DB police against the illegal foreigners in large scale.
The move came following the murder of Uttara O-level student Zubair Ahmed by an Algerian citizen Abuubaida Kadir.
Shaikh Nazmul Alam, Deputy Commissioner (north) of DB police, said Kadir, who killed the teenager, was staying illegally in the country for the last 14 year. The Dhaka Tribune published a series of stories on Zubair murder.
“We have conducted the drive as per a list of 350 foreigners living in Uttara, Rampura and Gulshan areas,” said DC Nazmul.
Apart from Zubair murder we have information about foreigners who are involved in currency forging and drug business,” he added.
About the drive, Krishna Pado Roy, deputy commissioner of (south) DB police, said DB officials raided around 147 houses of Uttara East, Gulshan and Rampura and they picked up 31 foreigners for illegal stay.
DC Krishna, while addressing a briefing at media and community center of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said of the captured, 12 are from Nigeria, five from Uganda, four from Cameroon, three from Gambia, two fromIvory Coast, one each from Senegal, Kenya, Togo, Mali and Mozambique.
A case was filed with Gulshan police station against four illegal foreigners identified as Mbazira Patrick, 35, Mukuye Micheal, 30, and Batambuze, 40, from Uganda and Onyango St Ephen Friday, 20, from Kenya.
Jahedur Rahman, DB sub-inspector, filed the case with Gulshan Police against them for their illegal stay in Bangladesh.
Those who were arrested from Uttara West area are Kalu, 40, and Ikenna Marin Ozomena, 34, from Nigeria, Fidell Npire, 40, from Mozambique, Zoleba Betrice, 32, from Ivory coast, Ibrahim Ngouh Maoko, 35, from Cameroon, Koossi Romaric Agbo, 32, from Togo, Sohofotsing Alainpatrice, 30, from Cameroon, Traore Adarna, 21, from Mali, Joseph Etoondizoa, 32, from Mali, and Couassi N’Gorand Michel, 22.
Of the arrestees, two are women.
In reply to a question DC Krishna said those foreigners entered Bangladesh with student and tourist visas.
DC Krishna later urged people not to rent out flat or house to foreigners without properly checking their documents
After the briefing, a high official of DB police, who led one of the teams last night to conduct drive told the Dhaka Tribune that a total of 350 to 400 members of DB police dividing into 40-separate groups carried out the drives.
According to sources of intelligence agencies, nearly 80 thousand foreigners mostly from African and South East Asian nations are living in the country illegally for years.
Of them, some African and Thai nationals are involved in crimes like manufacturing fake currency, prostitution and drug dealing.
Law enforcers in 2013 arrested at least 250 foreigners on charge of their involvement in such crimes.
A top official of Special Branch of police (immigration) told the Dhaka Tribune that they have information that at least five to six thousands African nationals are now illegally staying in major cities of Bangladesh.
The official requesting anonymity said their documents suggest that over 11,000 foreigners are now staying in Bangladesh.
In this regard, a senior official of DB police, involved in yesterday’s drive, said they would verify a list of 500 more foreigners status living in other parts of the capital in a second phase.
A total of 8000 foreigners will gradually come under the close watch, the official said requesting anonymity.
Monirul Islam, joint commissioner of DB police, said: “We are not against any country or foreigners but we are getting cautious so that no one would ever dare involve themselves in criminal act while staying in Bangladesh.”
Meantime, police in the evening, produced the arrested foreigners before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court. Of the 11 arrested from Rampura six – two from Nigeria, three from Gambia and one from Senegal – were sent to Jail.
Metropolitan Magistrate Ataul Haque passed the order.
Of the 16, arrested from Uttara 15 were sent to Jail. Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Erfanullah passed the order.
And of the four arrested from Gulshan one was placed on a two-day remand while three others were sent to jail. Metropolitan Magistrate Ehsanullah passed the order.
The other foreigners who applied for their visa extension were released after paying a penalty of Tk20,000 to 30,000.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
