BANGLADESHI Md Rayhan Kabir has been remanded for 13 days until August 19 to allow the Immigration Department to continue their investigations into his right to remain in the country.

Rayhan, 27, was arrested on July 24 after alleging mistreatment of migrant workers by the authorities in an Al Jazeera documentary.

Rayhan’s lawyer C. Selvaraja told The Malaysian Insight that the special Sessions Court on illegal immigrants in Semenyih this morning allowed the detention as requested by the Immigration Department.

He also clarified that this was not an extension to Rayhan’s remand. He was previously detained for the maximum 14 days after his arrest.

“Several issues were also raised at the hearing this morning. While we objected to the remand application, the judge ordered that he be so for 13 days,” Selvaraja told reporters at Semenyih Immigration Detention Centre.

“We object to certain aspects of the remand. I will be filing a notice to revise the decision,” he said, adding the filing would be made at the High Court.

He also said that Rayhan’s family wanted him returned to Bangladesh as soon as possible.

He added that there were fears for Rayhan’s safety. although he said his client had been treated fairly by the authorities.

Yesterday, director-general of Immigration Khairul Dzaimee Daud said Rayhan will be sent back to his home country once investigations are completed, adding that it could be as soon as August 31.

Rayhan was arrested in Setapak on July 24 after the Immigration Department sought the public’s assistance to track him down.

In the Al Jazeera documentary, he commented on the authorities’ treatment of migrant workers during the movement-control order.

Khairul said Rayhan’s temporary visitor pass had been revoked and he would be placed on a blacklist, barring him from entering Malaysia again. – August 6, 2020.