A total of 39 Bangladeshi nationals arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on a special US military flight early Friday, at 5:30am.
Upon arrival, the returnees received transportation assistance and emergency support from Brac through airport authorities.
Among the returnees, 26 were from Noakhali, while the other included two each from Comilla, Sylhet, Feni, and Lakshmipur, and one each from Chittagong, Gazipur, Dhaka, Munshiganj and Narsingdi.
Earlier this year, the United States had repatriated 187 Bangladeshi nationals. According to Brac’s Migration Program, of the 39 individuals repatriated this time, at least 34 had originally traveled to Brazil with clearance from the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET).
From there, they entered the United States illegally via Mexico. Of the remaining five, two traveled directly to the US, while three entered from South Africa.
Following legal proceedings, the US authorities decided to repatriate these 39 individuals to Bangladesh.
Shariful Hasan, associate director of Brac’s Migration and Youth Platform, said: “When the government grants permission for labor migration to Brazil, were there no safeguards or strategies to ensure that the workers did not end up in the United States instead? Each individual reportedly spent Tk30-35 lakh only to return empty-handed. Responsibility for this failure lies with both the sending agencies and the authorities involved in the approval process.”
He added that: “It is highly unfortunate and irresponsible to allow legally sanctioned workers to end up on an irregular migration path. Thousands of workers have traveled to Brazil in this manner. The government must exercise caution before issuing new permissions for labor migration to Brazil.”
Airport sources and the returnees said that unlike previous repatriations this year, where individuals were sent back with handcuffs and leg restraints, no such measures were applied for this flight.
Following the election of Donald Trump for a second term, US authorities have intensified operations to repatriate irregular migrants. Consequently, multiple groups of foreign nationals, including Bangladeshis, have been returned to their home countries in successive operations.
Previously, on June 8, 2024, a chartered flight repatriated 42 Bangladeshi nationals. Between March 6 and April 21, at least 34 more were sent back on multiple flights.
From the beginning of 2024 until August, the total number of Bangladeshi nationals repatriated from the United States exceeded 220.
Under US law, individuals without valid documentation may be repatriated following a court or administrative order.
In cases where asylum applications are denied, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilitates their return. Recently, the accelerated pace of these procedures has increased the use of chartered and military flights.
