Bangladesh diplomat arrested for not paying servant wages

NEW YORK – A Bangladesh diplomat has been indicted on charges he forced a foreign servant to work for his family in New York City without pay and assaulted him on several occasions.

Prosecutors say 45-year-old Md (moo-HAH’-mehd) Shaheldul Islam was arraigned Monday on grand larceny, assault, labour trafficking and other charges. A message left with his lawyer wasn’t immediately returned.

Prosecutors say Islam holds the post of Deputy Consul General of Bangladesh and has limited immunity.

They say he brought the Bangladeshi servant, identified as Md (moo-HAH’-med) Amin, to New York between 2012 and 2013 to work as household help, but took away his passport.

Prosecutors say Amin wasn’t paid for his work, was threatened and beaten, sometimes with a wooden shoe. He escaped in 2016.

Islam is due back in court June 28.