Malaysia detains Bangladesh's former envoy

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Malaysia has detained a former envoy of Bangladesh at the request of Dhaka, the Malaysian home minister confirmed on Thursday.

A former Bangladesh army major, M. Khairuzzaman, was arrested “according to procedures,” Hamzah Zainudin said.

“It (arrest) was (made) due to an offense committed and a request by his home country,” the minister said, according to daily The Star.

Khairuzzaman was living in Malaysia ever since he was appointed in 2007 as a high commissioner to the Southeast Asian nation.

He is accused of allegedly participating in the "1975 jail killing case” but was acquitted by a court in Bangladesh.

It was during the caretaker government in Bangladesh that Khairuzzaman was appointed as Bangladesh’s high commissioner to Malaysia in 2007.

However, he was recalled to Dhaka after Awami League won the elections and came to power in 2009.

But Khairuzzaman chose to stay back fearing reprisal and obtained his UN Refugee Card in Kuala Lumpur.