World media zooms on PM's remarks over illegal migrants

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's comment on Bangladeshi trafficking victims has received widespread negative coverage in a number of international media.

Terming those who illegally go abroad to find work "mentally sick", the PM on Sunday said they were tarnishing the image of the country.

Hasina said this at a meeting with labour and employment ministry officials in the capital's Secretariat, which was run by the state-run news agency BSS.

A number of major international news agencies and media houses including AFP, BBC, Al Jazeera and Sydney Morning Herald picked up the news and put a negative spin on Hasina's comments.

The AFP report says that Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has criticised economic migrants leaving the country, calling them “mentally sick” and accusing them of hurting the country's image.

In the report Hasina was quoted as saying, “There is sufficient work for them, still they are leaving the country in such disastrous ways.”

In Al Jazeera the item was headlined “Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina slams starving migrants as 'mentally sick.'”

In its report, the Sydney Morning Herald says, "Bangladesh has slammed thousands of starving migrants and asylum seekers stranded at sea, calling them "mentally sick" and accusing them of damaging the country's image."

A BBC report says, "Migrants trying to leave Bangladesh illegally are tainting the country's image, its prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, has said."

"Ms Hasina said their attempts to leave had made them "mentally sick," the BBC report adds.

The Mail online writes, "......... migrants are branded 'mentally' ill by Bangladesh Prime Minister."

The Straight Times' item was headlined "Bangladesh PM slams migrants as 'mentally sick', calls for crackdown on trafficking".

The social media pages have also been flooded with criticisms since the premier made the remarks.