Staff Reporter: Bangladesh Civil Society for Migrants (BCSM) demanded immediate and unconditional release of detained Bangladeshi fishermen in Qatar on Thursday

The platform expressed deep concerns in a statement on the arrest of four Bangladeshi nationals working as fishermen in Bahrain, who were detained, imprisoned and sentenced by Qatar authorities.

The statement also informed that these fishermen did not have access to translators during their trial and they weere held in prison for four months.BHRWS (Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society) earlier informed them that at the time of their arrest, the expatriates were fishing in the water of Bahrain territory.

The statement of Bangladesh Civil Society for Migrants further reads, Bahraini nationals were detained and released, but the Bangladeshi nationals were detained, prosecuted and imprisoned with hefty fine in the same offence.

The platform said it is disturbing to note the discriminatory treatment of the Qatari authorities and demanded unconditional and immidiate release of the detained fishermen.

However, the Bangladesh Embasy to Qatar is yet to make headway to take initiative to secure the release of the men, the statement said.