Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus will send a letter to UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan requesting a general pardon for 24 Bangladeshi citizens detained last year during protests linked to the anti-discrimination student movement, said the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.
A senior ministry official told Dhaka Tribune that the draft of the letter is being finalized and will soon be sent from the ministry to the chief adviser’s office. The ministry’s senior secretary is directly supervising the process.
Last year, Prof Yunus had personally contacted the UAE president by telephone, requesting clemency for 57 Bangladeshi nationals sentenced by UAE courts for participating in the protests. The detainees had been held across various emirates, with three sentenced to life imprisonment, one to 11 years, and 53 to ten years. Lawyer Wolora Afrin was appointed by the Bangladesh government to assist with their release.
On September 3, 2024, the UAE granted pardon to all 57 detainees following the chief adviser’s appeal, citing his intervention as a mark of respect. Arrangements were subsequently made to repatriate them to Bangladesh. One detainee, Abdul Hamid, 45, died in custody.
According to the ministry, on October 9, 2025, that 188 detainees already returned to Bangladesh. Efforts continued for the remaining 25, with officials emphasizing that diplomatic and legal measures were ongoing and being treated with the highest priority.
Renewed initiatives began on April 22 this year, when the Bangladesh Embassy in Abu Dhabi sent a list of the remaining detainees to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, requesting cooperation. In May, Ambassador Tareq Ahmed raised the issue during formal and informal meetings with senior UAE officials, citing the earlier release of 188 nationals as precedent.
On July 1, the embassy formally requested consular access through a note verbale, and on July 8, UAE law firm Hamdan Al Kaabi was appointed to handle the legal procedures for their release. The law firm noted that the process is time-consuming due to cases under the State Security Law but assured regular updates to the embassy.
On August 7, the ambassador met UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and handed over detailed lists and documents regarding the 25 detainees. Subsequently, on September 21, Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul sent a formal request to UAE Minister of Justice Abdullah bin Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi. The UAE ministry then requested passport copies and visa numbers, which were sent on September 30 via a note verbale.
The ministry expressed optimism that the remaining detainees will be repatriated soon.
