Zaiba Malik, the TV reporter held for three weeks in a Bangladeshi jail, today made a desperate appeal for the release of two of her colleagues who remain in detention.

Bradford-born Ms Malik was freed on Tuesday after being arrested in Bangladesh where she was filming a documentary for Channel 4 about political life in the country.

She was released, along with cameraman Bruno Sorrentino, after apologising to the Bangladesh authorities and promising not to use the footage.

But interpreter Priscilla Raj and assistant Saleem Samad, who are both Bangladeshi nationals, remain in jail.

Today Ms Malik, who is in London helping with the diplomatic effort to secure their release, said it made "no sense" to hold on to the pair.

"We are very concerned that Priscilla and Saleem are still being held without charge," said Ms Malik, "The authorities have accepted that we were not operating undercover but making a straightforward report about the political situation in Bangladesh.

"We employed Priscilla as our interpreter and Saleem as our fixer. That's all they were doing.

"We are relieved to have been released and it makes no sense to hold on to Priscilla and Saleem any longer.

"We appeal to the Bangladeshi authorities to release them too, and to ensure their future safety and their families' safety."

Ms Malik added that she wanted guarantees from the Bangladesh government that no further action would be taken against anyone who had worked with the Channel 4 crew during the filming of the documentary.

Today her sister Adeeba Malik, who is chief executive of the QED organisation in Bradford, said Zaiba would be staying in London to help with the effort to secure their release.

"Her main focus at the moment is trying to help the two who are still out there," she said. "She is meeting a lot of people and doing all she can to get them out.

"Hopefully, she will be back in time for Christmas.