40 Bangladeshis repatriated from three European countries

Forty Bangladeshi nationals have been repatriated from three European countries for lacking valid documents to stay there, arriving in Dhaka on a special chartered flight on Thursday morning (August 27).

Airport and immigration officials said 24 of the returnees were sent back from Cyprus, 15 from Greece and one from Bulgaria. The flight landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at around 7:45am.

A team from BRAC’s Migration Programme received the returnees with support from the Aviation Security under the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh.

Officials from the Foreign Ministry, CAAB, Aviation Security, Criminal Investigation Department and the Probashi Kallyan Desk were also present.

After completing the necessary formalities, the returnees left the airport at around 10:30am.

Shariful Hasan, associate director of BRAC’s Migration Programme and Youth Platform, said preliminary discussions indicated that the returnees did not have the documents required for legal residence in the respective European countries.

Each returnee was provided Tk 29,000 in financial assistance after arrival, along with food and support to contact family members, he said. BRAC also plans to provide counselling, skills training and financial assistance to help them reintegrate and rebuild their livelihoods.

Bangladesh and the European Union signed a standard operating procedure in 2017 for the repatriation of Bangladeshi nationals without the required documents.

Under the arrangement, returnees are sent back after completion of legal procedures and verification of their Bangladeshi citizenship.

Earlier on May 21, another 27 Bangladeshis were repatriated from Europe on a special flight.