PESHAWAR, Aug 31: Three Bangladeshi nationals arrested under the Frontier Crimes Regulations in the Khyber Agency were released from prison here on Friday after they were granted bail by a local court.

The prisoners — Jalaluddin, Abdul Salam and Aizazur Rehman — were detained under section 40 of the FCR and sections 11 and 14 of the Foreigners Act. They were charged with illegally entering Pakistan from Afghanistan a few months ago.

An application was moved for the release of 15 Bangladeshi nations, including the three who have now been released, by the chairman of the World Prisoners Relief Commission, Jawed Ibrahim Paracha, before the court of the additional district and sessions judge, Ikhtiar Khan.

Mr Paracha told newsmen at the Peshawar Central Prison that the remaining Bangladeshi nationals would be released within the next couple of days.

He said the ministry of interior and the NWFP home secretary had issued a “No Objection Certificate” for handing over the prisoners to Mr Paracha. He added that he had finalised arrangements for sending the released prisoners back to Bangladesh.

He claimed that they had gone to Afghanistan on legal visas and from there they entered Pakistan for the purpose of seeking employment.

He said that the “economic immigrants” had now changed their route for entering Pakistan as in the past they used to come to Pakistan via Karachi.