Bangladesh Seeks Singapore's Help in Repatriating Fugitives

Bangladesh has requested Singapore's assistance in repatriating fugitives who have fled the country and sought refuge in the island nation. The appeal was made by Home Affairs Adviser Lt. General (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury during a courtesy meeting with Singapore’s Non-Resident Ambassador Derek Loh at the Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday afternoon.

During the meeting, Adviser Chowdhury commended Singapore’s exemplary governance model, which he described as corruption-free and highly efficient. He suggested that Bangladesh could benefit from emulating Singapore’s approach to developing a transparent and effective system.

“Singapore is a shining example of development, with a corruption-free environment and world-class infrastructure. Over the past few decades, they have made tremendous strides in areas like information technology and public services,” said Chowdhury. “The country’s success in delivering essential services without corruption has made it a global tourism hub. Bangladesh should look to adopt Singapore’s model to eliminate corruption and enhance governance.”

The two officials discussed several important bilateral issues, including law enforcement cooperation, public safety, manpower exports, fire incident investigations, human trafficking prevention, human rights protection, and the implementation of the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) at the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

Strengthening Ties and Cooperation
Chowdhury welcomed Ambassador Loh, emphasizing Singapore’s role as one of Bangladesh’s closest allies. He acknowledged the significant contributions of Bangladeshi workers to Singapore’s development and called for expanding the intake of Bangladeshi manpower. In response, Ambassador Loh highlighted that Bangladeshis make up around 5 percent of Singapore’s population and agreed that further strengthening people-to-people ties is crucial to deepening mutual trust and collaboration between the two nations.

Support in Fire Safety and Technical Assistance
Chowdhury also brought attention to Bangladesh’s need for technical support in investigating large-scale fire incidents. While commending the efficiency of Bangladeshi firefighters, he noted the country's limited capacity in fire incident investigations. Ambassador Loh promised to engage with Singapore’s Civil Defence Department to explore potential assistance.

Repatriation of Fugitives
On the issue of fugitives, Chowdhury stated, “Several criminals from Bangladesh have sought refuge in Singapore, and we need your help in bringing them back to face justice.” He proposed that the two countries consider signing a mutual legal assistance agreement to facilitate the repatriation process. Ambassador Loh recommended that Bangladesh formally submit a request through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs to initiate the necessary procedures.

The meeting was attended by Mitchell Lee, Chargé d'Affaires of the Singapore High Commission in Dhaka, and Rahul Isaac, Country Officer at the Directorate for South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa under Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with senior officials from Bangladesh’s Ministry of Home Affairs.