High commission issues warning as Maldives launches drive to detain illegal migrants

More than 90,000 Bangladeshis currently reside in the Maldives. The country has launched a special operation to detain undocumented migrants. The operation, titled “Operation Hamaamaghu,” began on Sunday, November 23. In this context, the Bangladesh High Commission has urged expatriates to strictly comply with visa regulations.

The Maldivian government has taken steps to collect accurate data on legal workers and address undocumented migration. For this purpose, biometric data has been collected from more than 191,000 migrant workers. Over 9,000 migrants have already been repatriated.

A special drive has now begun to control migrant workers. Those violating immigration or visa laws will face penalties. Patrols in the capital, Malé, have been increased since Sunday, particularly in areas with high concentrations of expatriates.

Bangladeshi expatriates report that many new arrivals from Bangladesh—despite spending large amounts of money to migrate—are unable to find work. This is forcing them to crowd streets due to lack of accommodation and income.

The Bangladesh High Commission stated that the Maldivian authorities are closely monitoring the movements of Bangladeshi residents. Therefore, migrants have been urged to comply with visa rules and refrain from any illegal activities.

Md Sohel Parvez, Labour Counsellor at the Bangladesh High Commission in the Maldives, said: “We strongly request that no one violate visa rules or engage in any activities that go against Maldivian law.”

The new operation is being carried out partly on the basis of information from locals during the earlier “Immigration Watch” programme. President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has announced that biometric registration will be mandatory for all who wish to stay in the Maldives; otherwise, no migrant will be allowed to remain in the country.