Dhaka, Nov 28 (V7N) — A special military flight carrying 39 deported Bangladeshis from the United States landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 5:30 am on Friday. The returnees were provided emergency assistance, including transportation, by BRAC.

Of the 39 returnees, 26 are from Noakhali. The rest include two each from Comilla, Sylhet, Feni, and Lakshmipur, and one each from Chittagong, Gazipur, Dhaka, Munshiganj, and Narsingdi. Earlier this year, a total of 187 Bangladeshis were deported from the US.

BRAC’s Migration Program stated that at least 34 of the deported individuals initially went to Brazil with clearance from the Bureau of Manpower, Employment, and Training (BMET) but later illegally entered the US via Mexico. The remaining five entered via South Africa or directly. After applying for US residency, their applications were rejected, leading to deportation.

Shariful Hasan, Associate Director of BRAC (Migration and Youth Platform), criticized the lack of oversight, saying, “Many workers returned empty-handed after spending 30 to 35 lakh taka. The sending agencies and the government must be held accountable. Caution is needed before approving workers to Brazil again.”

Unlike previous deportations, these returnees were not handcuffed or shackled upon arrival.

The repatriation drive has intensified since Donald Trump’s second term as US President, with multiple waves of deportations. From the beginning of 2024 to August, over 220 Bangladeshis have been deported. According to US law, undocumented immigrants can be sent back through court or administrative orders, and failed asylum applicants are repatriated by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (ICE).

This latest deportation highlights ongoing challenges for Bangladeshis attempting to migrate illegally and underscores the need for stricter oversight of labor migration programs.

END/SMA/AJ