Bangladeshi freed, allowed to stay in PNG

By KARO JESSE
THE National Court yesterday authorised the release of a Bangladeshi man from custody and given an entry permit for residency for three years.
Helal Uddin was transferred from Australia to the Manus Regional Processing Centre in 2013.
Uddin was given relief by the court after years of unsuccessful legal attempts to acquire a residential visa to stay in Papua New Guinea.
Justice David Cannings ordered the Immigration and Citizenship Authority (ICA) and the Minister for Immigration and Border Security to issue Uddin an entry permit under section five of the Immigration Act, authorising his residence in the country.
Cannings agreed that Uddin had proved that he would continue to be treated harshly and deported by ICA if they were not restrained.
This was because no sufficient regard was given to his (Uddin) particular circumstances that he was forcibly transferred in 2013 from Australia to PNG.
Cannings said Uddin was unlawfully detained in a processing centre in conditions akin to a prison from 2013 to 2016, for two years and six months.
Cannings in his ruling also considered that Uddin married a local woman from Manus and had a three-month-old son.
“He has not being given the right to be heard on the question of whether he ought to be deported, nor has he been accorded the opportunity to say why he wished to remain in PNG,” Cannings said.
The matter will return on April 30 for the review of orders.