Lawyers for Bangladeshi in Al Jazeera documentary say they have yet to see client since his arrest

PUTRAJAYA: The lawyers for Md Rayhan Kabir, the Bangladeshi who was interviewed in an Al Jazeera documentary which has raised controversy here, say they have yet to meet their client since he was arrested.

“I was informed that my request has to go through the (Immigration Department) heads first before permission is given (to see him).

“An email was sent to Immigration director-general Datuk Khairul Dzaimee Daud on Sunday (July 26).

“We have a responsibility to his parents to inform them of their son’s condition, ” said lawyer Selvaraja Chinniah when met outside the Immigration Department headquarters here on Monday (July 27).

Selvaraja, together with fellow lawyer Sumita Shaanthinni Kishna, exited the building around 2.40pm after spending about an hour inside.

They were engaged by Md Rayhan’s parents to act as his lawyers.

Selvaraja added that the department assured him that they would respond to his request “as soon as possible”.

Md Rayhan was arrested by a team of Immigration officers from the Putrajaya office around 5.45pm in Setapak on Friday (July 24).

They had earlier sought the help of the public to track down Md Rayhan.

Rayhan is alleged to have made false claims about Malaysia's treatment of undocumented migrants in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic when he was interviewed in the Al Jazeera documentary.

Police have also started investigating the international television channel over the production.