High Court orders steps to return 189 Bangladeshis from Andaman prison

DHAKA, July 12 (BSS) - The High Court today demanded explanations of alleged government "inertia" in returning 189 Bangladeshis now reportedly languishing in prisons in Indian Andamans Island.

A High Court bench comprising Justice Mirza Hussain Haidar and Justice Mohammad Nuruzzaman issued the rule asking the foreign and home ministries to reply in six weeks why their "inertia should not be declared illegal and contrary to the fundamental rights of the people".

The director general of foreign ministry's South Asia wing and the joint secretary in charge of political desk of the home ministry were also ordered to submit reports on steps they took so far in bringing back the Bangladeshis.

The court orders came on a writ under public interest litigation filed by a Supreme Court lawyer following a newspaper report.

Bangladesh and India last year signed an agreement that allowed inmates of the respective countries serving jail terms in each others prisons to serve the rest of their terms in jails in their own countries, if they wanted.

Posted in: High Court orders steps to return 189 Bangladeshis from Andaman prison