Bangladeshi expats in Europe demand end to passport-related hassle

Bangladeshi expatriates in various European countries including Italy, France, and Greece have alleged that they are facing harassment at the Bangladesh embassies in renewing passports, and making changes in their name or age on documents, which is barring them from coming home.

At least 10,000 Bangladeshi expatriates are in passport-related trouble in different European countries, expatriates in Europe said.

After migrating to Europe through legal or illegal channels, the migrants have got legal permits to stay in those countries. But now they are unable to return to Bangladesh as they do not have any passport.

A section of migrants staged a demonstration in Rome of Italy on Tuesday demanding passports.

Another human chain programme was suspended in front of the Bangladesh embassy in Greece on Thursday as the embassy authorities has agreed to negotiate with the protestors.  

Abdul Quddus, president of the Bangladesh Community in Greece, told The Business Standard that the Bangladesh embassy has called a meeting with them at 6pm on Thursday where the issues like passport, and legality in Greece will be discussed. That's why the human chain programme has been suspended, he added.

"The Bangladeshis illegal expatriates in Greece will not be able to take the opportunity to be legalised if they do not have a valid passport," he said.

According to the Bangladesh embassy in Greece, at least 30,000 Bangladeshis are staying there of whom 20,000 are undocumented.

Md Khaled, counsellor (Political), Bangladesh embassy, Athens, told TBS that about 1,000 Bangladeshis have entered to Greece in different ways without any passport.

"The home ministry has not been issuing passports for this category of applicants although the embassy has recommended for them. But the renewal process of passport is going fast and both MRP and electronic types of passports are being issued," he added.

He also said that the issuance of only 300 passports is pending. 

A platform of migrants in France under the banner of "Amra Bangladesher remittance joddha" announced a human chain programme in front of the Bangladesh embassy in Paris on 29 August demanding solutions to passport-related issues. They demanded correction in the passports as per the birth certificate.