Twenty-four returned from Cyprus, 15 from Greece and one from Bulgaria after being found undocumented

Forty undocumented Bangladeshis, who were sent back from three European countries, reached Dhaka on a chartered flight this morning.Of them, 24 returned from Cyprus, 15 from Greece and one from Bulgaria, according to sources at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and immigration.The flight landed at around 7:45am today.A team from Brac’s Migration Programme received the returnees with assistance from Aviation Security (Avsec) and provided them with different forms of support.Officials from the foreign ministry, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, Avsec, the Criminal Investigation Department and the Expatriates’ Welfare Desk were present at the airport.

The returnees left the airport at around 10:30am after completing the necessary formalities.

Shariful Hasan, associate director of Brac’s Migration Programme and Youth Platform, confirmed that 40 Bangladeshis had returned from Europe on a special flight.From our initial conversations with them, we learned that they did not have the documents required to stay in Europe. As a result, they were sent back,” he told The Daily Star.

He said each returnee received Tk 29,000 in financial assistance, amounting to around Tk 11.5 lakh in total. They were also provided with food and assistance in contacting their families.They will be provided with counselling, training and financial assistance to support their long-term reintegration,” Shariful added.

Bangladesh signed a standard operating procedure (SOP) with the European Union in 2017 for the return of undocumented Bangladeshi nationals. Under the arrangement, they are returned after the completion of legal procedures and confirmation of their Bangladeshi nationality.

Earlier, 27 Bangladeshis were sent back on another special flight on May 21.