Ukraine releases 2 Bangladeshi detainees

The Ukrainian authorities yesterday released two remaining Bangladeshis from a detention centre.

A representative employed by the Bangladesh embassy helped them reach the Poland border.

The representative also helped two Indian citizens leave the war-torn country.

They were locked up in a detention centre in Juravis.

Ambassador Sultana Laila of the Bangladesh embassy in Poland told The Daily Star, "One of the two Bangladeshis released yesterday was facing several significant charges brought against him by the Ukrainian government. The government was unwilling to release him. We had to request a Ukrainian citizen to go to Juravis as Bangladesh's representative. The two were then released and handed over to the ward."

Ambassador Laila said, "We sent a diplomatic letter to Ukraine's Foreign Ministry and were maintaining regular liaison with them. I have spoken to their foreign ministry several times. They wanted a written request, and were promptly furnished with that."

The letter requested their release on humanitarian grounds.

"We reminded them that keeping the detainees locked up in a situation of war was a human rights violation. They responded by pointing out that detainees waiting for trial cannot be released before their verdicts are delivered. But I still requested them to release the Bangladeshis.

"The two other Bangladeshis released on Wednesday, had come to the embassy. They were later dropped off at a place of their choosing," she added.