Thirty-five Bangladeshis who were living in Europe without valid documents are back home. They arrived in Dhaka on Friday, 23 October.
Who Returned and How
Of the 35 returnees, 19 came from Italy, 10 from Greece and six from Cyprus. Their special chartered flight, PVG-9445, landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at about 8:15 am. The Italian Embassy in Dhaka said the flight was coordinated by Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency.
Support at the Airport
BRAC’s Migration Programme gave the returnees emergency assistance, counselling and financial support to help them reach home. Civil Aviation Security and the Expatriates’ Welfare Desk assisted at the airport. Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the European Union were also present.
The EU-BRAC Project
All 35 received help under the Prottasha-2 project, funded jointly by BRAC and the EU. Shariful Hasan, associate director of BRAC’s Migration Programme and Youth Platform, said returnees get airport counselling first. Financial support follows, to help them rebuild their lives.
The 2017 Agreement Behind It
Bangladesh and the EU signed standard operating procedures in 2017. They allow the return of Bangladeshis living in Europe without valid documents or authorisation to stay. Around 5,000 people have returned under this arrangement so far. Cyprus, Italy, Romania and France account for the largest numbers.
Part of a Series
This is the third such operation this year. A flight on August 27 brought back 40 people, including 24 from Cyprus, 15 from Greece and one from Bulgaria. Before that, 27 Bangladeshis were returned on May 21.
A Warning on Irregular Migration
The Italian Embassy warned that paying traffickers, brokers or smugglers to enter Italy without a valid visa is illegal. BRAC is also running awareness campaigns across Bangladesh. They aim to discourage risky migration to Europe.
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