Bangladesh bears the brunt of 12,790 undocumented foreigners
There are 12,790 undocumented foreigners of 108 countries and the validity of their passports and visas has expired quite sometime back.
There are allegations that many of them are involved in organised crime while many have been working in different organisations and taking their earnings abroad through 'hundi', evading tax.
Special Branch of police keeps watch on the foreign nationals.
According to them, there are 12,790 undocumented foreign nationals in the country, till Thursday. The majority of them are from India. Others include Korean, Chinese and US citizens. They stayed illegally after coming on tourist and business visas, and some with on-arrival visas.
Six Egyptian citizens have been staying for the longest period, 17 years while some undocumented foreigners are staying for three years.
It has to be ensured that those who are working legally are staying here with genuine visas, otherwise the country will be affected financially.
People familiar with migration said the number of documented foreigners have decreased by three-fourth due to outbreak of coronavirus.
Official statistics show there are some 20,197 foreigners of 140 countries. 10,974 are Indians and 2093 Chinese.
On 25 February, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) in a study said the highest number of foreigners work in the RMG and textile sectors.
Besides, many foreigners are engaged in different development projects, power generation plants, international organisations, hotels and restaurants.
Many of them are evading tax. Many are working illegally and taking away money. They are taking away Tk 260 billion every year.
Speaking to Prothom Alo about the matter, foreign minister AK Abdul Momen said, "There is no information of so many foreigners staying in Bangladesh."
He said they are supposed to be fined for staying after expiry of validity of visa. Monitoring has been strengthened for issuing on-arrival visas during the coronavirus pandemic.
There is no information of so many foreigners staying in Bangladesh. They are supposed to be fined for staying after expiry of validity of visa. Monitoring has been strengthened for issuing on-arrival visas during the coronavirus pandemic.
On 7 November 2019, in a meeting of the cabinet committee on the law and order at the home ministry, the issue of undocumented foreigners was discussed.
After the meeting, the committee chairman and liberation affairs minister AKM Mozzammel Huq said the government has taken an initiative to send back 11,000 undocumented foreigners. One year has elapsed since then.
About the latest situation, home ministry security services division secretary Md Shaiduzzaman said there is no detention centre to keep the undocumented foreigners. Cases need to be filed to keep them in the jail. That is a matter of time and finance. So a process is on to prepare a detention centre.
How they are coming
Sources at the immigration authorities said 33 types of visas are given to foreign nationals to enter Bangladesh. These include visa on arrival (VOA), B (business or business representative), T (tourist) and P (player).
A section of these foreigners stay on despite expiry of the validity of their visas.
Analysing an SB report, it is found that of the undocumented, 4,641 foreigners came on tourist visa between 2017 and 2019. Around 2,000 came in business visas.
Officials concerned said many came on business visas and illegally joined work in different companies without permission. Chinese citizens come in such type of visas. They work in different projects and in firms funded by the Chinese citizens.
There are allegations that many Indians come in tourist visas and work illegally.
Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) executive director CR Abrar said , it has to be ensured that those who are working legally are staying here with genuine visas, otherwise the country will be affected financially.
For example, he said, according to central bank of India, Bangladesh is one of five countries from where India receives the highest amount of remittance.
He said so it is necessary to find out whether there is any consistency between the documented and undocumented Indians staying in Bangladesh.
Moreover, it should be seen if the taxes they are paying are genuine or not, CR Abrar added.
According to Bangladesh visa rules, citizens of European countries, 13 countries of former Soviet Union, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Egpyt, Brunei and Turkey get on-arrival visas. According to the immigration authorities, a section of foreigners of those who obtained on-arrival visas are staying on illegally. Of them, the Korean citizens are the highest, 548.
Stakeholders said football clubs send invitation letters ahead of the premier league. They send invitation letters more than the requirement. The clubs select players after trial matches. The clubs are supposed to send back those players who are not selected. But the clubs do not do this. As a results, those who come as players stay illegally.
Foreigners indulge in crimes
Sources said police arrested over 50 citizens of eight African countries on charges of different allegations including fraudulence in the last several months. Six citizens of Ukraine are arrested on charges of drawing money from ATM of different banks through the fraudulence of credit and debit card.
SB in a report to the home ministry in February said undocumented foreigners have engaged in various crimes including human trafficking, smuggling and fake currency.
SB reports also said crime-prone African citizens are marrying Bangladeshi girls on contract to avoid visa complications.
According to the home ministry, some 932 citizens of 18 countries have been languishing in jail in different cases till 31 July.
*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam.