Reports: Maldives-Bangladesh preparing to sign prisoner transfer agreement

Media outlets in Bangladesh have reported that the Maldives and Bangladesh are preparing to sign an agreement on the transfer of convicted prisoners.

According to a report published on Saturday by the 'Dhaka Tribune', the two countries are in the final stages of completing the legal formalities required before officially signing the prisoner transfer agreement.

Under the proposed agreement, Bangladeshi nationals serving prison sentences in the Maldives will be eligible to serve the remainder of their sentences in Bangladesh.

Citing the Bangladesh High Commission in the Maldives, the 'Dhaka Tribune' reported that the agreement will be signed and implemented once the relevant authorities in both countries complete the necessary official procedures. The High Commission added that the agreement is expected to strengthen humanitarian and legal cooperation between the two nations.

The report further stated that 44 Bangladeshi nationals are currently being held in detention in the Maldives. Of these, 10 are being held on remand pending the conclusion of their trials, while the remaining individuals are serving prison sentences.

The Bangladeshi Ambassador to the Maldives, Dr. Md. Nazmul Islam, recently visited Maafushi Prison with a delegation from the High Commission to assess the welfare of Bangladeshi inmates. Following the visit, the Ambassador met with senior officials of the Maldives Correctional Service to convey concerns raised by the prisoners.

Bangladeshi nationals make up the largest expatriate workforce in the Maldives. Some of them have been implicated in a range of criminal offences, including murder, assault, and drug trafficking.