It won't affect Bangladeshis in Middle East

The government's decision to join Saudi Arabia-led Islamic military coalition will not lead to Islamic State targeting Bangladeshi expats in the Middle Eastern countries, said the expatriates' welfare and overseas employment minister yesterday. 

He, however, could not explain why he thought so.

“We are not concerned about IS. Bangladesh has decided to join the alliance as the country's policy goes with the coalition's policy,” expatriates' welfare minister Nurul Islam told reporters when asked about possible IS threats that Bangladeshi expats might face because of the decision. 

He was briefing the media at Probashi Kalyan Bhaban in the capital's Iskaton on the ministry's programmes on International Migrants Day today.

He said the role of Bangladesh in the coalition would be understood better after talks with Saudi Arabia.

About 40 lakh Bangladeshis are working in different countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Iraq and Libya.

Meanwhile, the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) has expressed surprises and anguish over Bangladesh being part of the Saudi-led 34-member “Islamic Military Alliance”.

The government did not act wisely in making such an important decision without any discussion at any level, not even in parliament, said CPB President Mujahidul Islam Selim and General Secretary Syed Abu Zafar Ahmed yesterday in a statement.

Bangladesh has always been following the policy of non-alliance since its birth, but the sudden shift of position is highly condemnable and cannot be accepted at all, reads the statement.

There are creditable allegations against Saudi Arabia of patronising and financing IS, Al Qaeda, Taliban and other communal, terrorist organisations, CPB said.

Besides, it added it was well known that patrons like the Jamaat-e-Islami of terrorist organisations were functioning with Saudi's fund and help. 

The CPB urged the government to cut immediately its ties with the military alliance that had already been called into question, and launch a meaningful struggle instead against terrorism and militancy at home and abroad.