Govt hopeful of release of 25 remaining detainees in UAE
According to the ministry, 188 detainees have already been repatriated, and on 22 April this year, the Bangladesh embassy in Abu Dhabi initiated formal procedures to seek the remaining detainees’ release, later sending a list of the detainees to the UAE foreign ministry requesting cooperation.
The Ministry of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment has said diplomatic and legal efforts are ongoing to secure the release of 25 Bangladeshis who remain detained in Abu Dhabi following the July mass uprising, and the government is hopeful they'll be released soon.
According to the ministry, 188 detainees have already been repatriated, and on 22 April this year, the Bangladesh embassy in Abu Dhabi initiated formal procedures to seek the remaining detainees' release, later sending a list of the detainees to the UAE foreign ministry requesting cooperation, reads a press release today (9 October).
In May, Bangladesh's ambassador to the UAE, Tareq Ahmed, raised the issue in both formal and informal meetings with senior UAE foreign ministry officials, referring to the earlier release of 188 detainees as a gesture of goodwill marking the honouring of Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus, a ministry handout read.
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As progress remained slow, the embassy issued another note verbale on 1 July requesting consular access. To expedite the legal process, a law firm named Hamdan Al Kaabi was appointed on 8 July to take necessary measures.
In mid-August, the firm informed the embassy that the detainees were facing cases related to state security, which required time and adherence to legal and procedural formalities. The firm continues to update the embassy on developments.
On 7 August, during a meeting with UAE Foreign Minister HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Bangladesh ambassador handed over a hard copy of all previous correspondences along with the list of the 25 detainees.
To further strengthen the diplomatic efforts, on 21 September 2025, the adviser to the expatriates' welfare and overseas employment ministry, Dr Asif Nazrul, sent a formal request letter to UAE Minister of Justice Abdullah bin Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi.
Following that, on 22 September, the UAE foreign ministry requested copies of passports and visa numbers of the detainees. The embassy promptly collected the information and submitted it through a note verbale on 30 September.
The government said all-out efforts are being made to secure the detainees' early release.
