44 Bangladeshis return from Europe over lack of legal documents

Another 44 Bangladeshis who travelled to Europe without valid documents or through irregular channels have been deported to Bangladesh, including 40 from Greece and four from Cyprus.

They arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 9:15am on Wednesday aboard a special chartered flight (N05542), according to immigration police and airport sources.

With support from Civil Aviation Security and the expatriate welfare desk at the airport, BRAC's Migration Programme provided the returnees with emergency assistance, counselling and financial support to help them reach their respective homes. Representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the expatriate welfare desk were also present.

Shariful Hasan, associate director of BRAC's Migration Programme and Youth Platform, said 44 Bangladeshis returned from Europe on Wednesday morning. All of them received food and financial assistance at the airport under the Probash programme, a joint initiative funded by the European Union (EU) and BRAC under the Probash-2 project. They will receive further economic assistance after undergoing counselling and training, he added.

"Bangladeshis have long ranked first among nationalities entering Italy after crossing the Mediterranean from Libya. According to this year's data, they also rank first among those entering Greece through the same route," Shariful Hasan said.

He said Bangladeshis frequently lose their lives while attempting to reach Europe by sea, while European countries are becoming increasingly strict against irregular migration.

"Under the new migration policy, people entering Europe through irregular routes are being sent back quickly, and their asylum applications are being rejected. In other words, even after spending Tk 3 million to Tk 4 million, the outcome is ultimately zero. Yet people believe that simply reaching Europe, by any means, will solve all their problems. This misconception must be addressed," he said.

Shariful Hasan said one of the latest returnees had previously encouraged others on TikTok to travel from Bangladesh to Europe through irregular channels.

He urged prospective migrants to become more aware of the risks and avoid dangerous sea routes, stressing the importance of acquiring skills and migrating through legal channels.

Earlier, on October 23, another 35 Bangladeshis were deported from Italy and Greece on a special flight, BRAC had said.

In 2017, the Bangladesh government signed standard operating procedure (SOP) agreements with European countries to facilitate the repatriation of undocumented or irregular Bangladeshi migrants. Around 5,000 Bangladeshis have returned under the arrangement so far, with significant numbers coming from Cyprus, Italy, Romania, France, Greece and Malta.

Shariful Hasan said Italy, Greece and Germany have accounted for the largest numbers of Bangladeshi returnees from Europe in recent years.

Upon arrival, returnees receive emergency assistance and counselling at the airport. They are subsequently offered financial support to help them rebuild their lives. Awareness campaigns are also being conducted across the country to discourage risky migration.

Meanwhile, European countries have also taken initiatives to recruit workers from Bangladesh through legal channels.