Staff Correspondent
Detectives
yesterday arrested 31 foreign nationals, including two women, of 10
African countries from the capital during a massive crackdown on
foreigners staying illegally in Bangladesh.
Of the arrestees, 12 are from Nigeria, five from Uganda, four from Cameroon, three from Gambia, two from Ivory Coast, one each from Senegal, Kenya, Togo, Mali and Mozambique.
The drive came a month after Algerian national Abuubaida Kadir allegedly murdered O-level student Zubair Ahmed in Uttara. Kadir has been staying illegally in the country for more than a decade.
Following Zubair's killing on October 4, detectives started preparing a list of foreigners staying illegally in the country and their whereabouts. So far, they have found 350 locations including hotels and houses where they are staying, detectives said.
Around 300 policemen in 40 separate groups yesterday raided 147 places in Banasree, Gulshan and Uttara and made the arrests, said police.
"We'll continue the drives to arrest the illegal foreigners," said Krishna Pada Roy, deputy commissioner of Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (South) at the DMP media centre.
"We have arrested the 31 foreigners as they could not show valid documents in favour of their stay. We are also investigating whether they are involved in any criminal activities," he said.
Detectives said passports and visas of some of them were found expired.
The arrestees have been overstaying in the country for two to 12 years.
According to the existing law, if the charges against them are proved, they might face a maximum of five years in prison.
Krishna said instances of many foreigners getting involved in criminal activities including killing, drug peddling, smuggling and other fraudulent acts had come to their notice.
Officials at the Special Branch of Police said around one lakh foreigners, mostly from African and South East Asian nations, are living in the country illegally for years.
Around 8,000 nationals of different African countries are involved in killing, mugging, smuggling, fake note manufacturing and running illegal VOIP business in the capital, said detectives.
"They have become our headache now," said a top SB official requesting anonymity.
The African nationals mainly entered Bangladesh as football players or students while others came with tourist visas but didn't leave the country before expiry of their visas.
In many cases, they destroy their passports and other documents so that law enforcers cannot verify their nationality to repatriate them upon arrest for criminal offences, say intelligence officials.
Krishna also urged house owners and hotel authorities to verify documents of foreigners before renting out apartments or rooms to them.
Of the arrestees, 12 are from Nigeria, five from Uganda, four from Cameroon, three from Gambia, two from Ivory Coast, one each from Senegal, Kenya, Togo, Mali and Mozambique.
The drive came a month after Algerian national Abuubaida Kadir allegedly murdered O-level student Zubair Ahmed in Uttara. Kadir has been staying illegally in the country for more than a decade.
Following Zubair's killing on October 4, detectives started preparing a list of foreigners staying illegally in the country and their whereabouts. So far, they have found 350 locations including hotels and houses where they are staying, detectives said.
Around 300 policemen in 40 separate groups yesterday raided 147 places in Banasree, Gulshan and Uttara and made the arrests, said police.
"We'll continue the drives to arrest the illegal foreigners," said Krishna Pada Roy, deputy commissioner of Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (South) at the DMP media centre.
"We have arrested the 31 foreigners as they could not show valid documents in favour of their stay. We are also investigating whether they are involved in any criminal activities," he said.
Detectives said passports and visas of some of them were found expired.
The arrestees have been overstaying in the country for two to 12 years.
According to the existing law, if the charges against them are proved, they might face a maximum of five years in prison.
Krishna said instances of many foreigners getting involved in criminal activities including killing, drug peddling, smuggling and other fraudulent acts had come to their notice.
Officials at the Special Branch of Police said around one lakh foreigners, mostly from African and South East Asian nations, are living in the country illegally for years.
Around 8,000 nationals of different African countries are involved in killing, mugging, smuggling, fake note manufacturing and running illegal VOIP business in the capital, said detectives.
"They have become our headache now," said a top SB official requesting anonymity.
The African nationals mainly entered Bangladesh as football players or students while others came with tourist visas but didn't leave the country before expiry of their visas.
In many cases, they destroy their passports and other documents so that law enforcers cannot verify their nationality to repatriate them upon arrest for criminal offences, say intelligence officials.
Krishna also urged house owners and hotel authorities to verify documents of foreigners before renting out apartments or rooms to them.
Published: 12:00 am Saturday, November 15, 2014
