DHAKA (UCAN): Father Anthony Sen, of the Justice and Peace Commission in the Diocese of Dinjapur, Bangladesh, expressed concern over the arrest in Singapore of a Bangladeshi worker on terror charges and the deportation of 15 others for inflammatory anti-France posts on social media.
“The arrest and deportation of workers for radical thoughts and acts tarnish the image of Bangladesh globally. The same thing has happened in Singapore and other countries including India and Malaysia earlier,” Father Sen said.
A total of 37 individuals—14 Singaporeans and 23 foreigners— ere detained and interrogated in Singapore in recent weeks as part of intensified security measures following terror attacks on France and elsewhere, Singapore’s ministry of home affairs (MHA) said on November 24.
MHA officials said those arrested were involved in suspected radical activities and posts on social media that could incite violence or communal unrest. The majority of them supported the beheading of French teacher, Samuel Paty, by a suspected extremist and other terror attacks in France and elsewhere.
Out of the detainees, 16 foreigners—15 Bangladeshi and one Malaysian—were deported following completion of investigations.
This is not the first time Bangladeshi workers have been accused of radicalism and deported from Singapore.
“Radicalisation is a process that takes time and if we are careful we can curb it beforehand. Radicalism among migrant workers is not a new phenomenon and it is a warning for our related state agencies that there are still lapses in existing procedures of migration which must be tackled,” Hossain said.
In 2016, the city-state expelled 26 Bangladeshi migrant workers after they were found to be members of a closed Islamic study group that allegedly subscribed to extremist teachings of radical ideologues like Anwar al-Awlaki, an American-Yemeni Islamic lecturer linked to al-Qaeda. They were allegedly plotting to carry out nefarious activities in Bangladesh and other countries.
“This is a matter of grave concern and Bangladeshi authorities need to take the issue seriously. It is important for immigration and police officials to check details and background of workers before they are cleared,” Father Sen said.
“Radicalism has been a serious problem for Bangladesh in recent times, and the state and society need to be constantly vigilant to tackle the threat, both at home and abroad,” he said.
Dhaka-based security analyst and retired brigadier general, M. Shakhawat Hossain, echoed similar concerns.
“Radicalisation is a process that takes time and if we are careful we can curb it beforehand. Radicalism among migrant workers is not a new phenomenon and it is a warning for our related state agencies that there are still lapses in existing procedures of migration which must be tackled,” Hossain said.
The deportation of workers also triggered debate on social media and divided opinion. “Outrage as people are punished for expressing freedom of speech,” said one post.
Others warned Bangladeshi workers against posting inflammatory comments. “Refrain from making radical posts on social media. If you lose your job and get deported, nobody will take responsibility for you and your family,” Tonmoy Ahmed said.
Immigration officials at Shah Jalal International Airport in Dhaka confirmed that Bangladeshi deportees, mostly construction workers in Singapore, reached the country in the early hours of November 25.
Earlier, on November 2, another Bangladeshi construction worker, 26-year-old Ahmed Faysal, was arrested and jailed in Singapore under the Internal Security Act for terrorism-related activities.
Faysal, a Muslim from eastern Bangladesh, moved to Singapore in 2017 and started working for a building products company. His radicalisation started in 2018 when he was influenced by radical materials online supporting global jihadist outfit Islamic State (ISIS).
Bangladeshi counterterrorism officials said they have been looking into Faysal and the 15 deported workers following media reports.
Bangladesh has about eight million migrant workers, mostly in Middle Eastern countries, who remit about $116.27 billion (US$15 billion) annually and make vital contributions to the economy.
