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Twenty-three Bangladeshi nationals returned home from the United States on Thursday after being deported for violating US immigration laws, despite leaving Bangladesh nearly a decade ago in search of better job opportunities.
The returnees arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka early Thursday morning on a special Omni Air flight (OAE-2323).
After completing immigration formalities, each returnee received Tk 5,000 in financial assistance from the NGO BRAC, along with light refreshments.
According to officials, the group had left Bangladesh at different times in 2014 on work permits, hoping to secure better employment abroad.
They later stayed in countries including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa, Brazil, and Peru, before eventually entering the United States through irregular border crossings.
While in the US, some of them found employment, but they failed to meet the legal requirements to regularise their immigration status, bringing them to the attention of US immigration authorities.
Legal proceedings were subsequently initiated against them for violating US immigration laws. Following the completion of those proceedings, US authorities decided to deport them to Bangladesh.
The returnees left the airport at around 1:30 pm after completing all formalities.
Officials said the incident highlights the importance of following legal migration channels and complying with the immigration laws of destination countries. Failure to do so can result in deportation, even after years of living and working abroad.
They also noted that the number of Bangladeshi nationals being deported from the United States and other countries for immigration violations has increased in recent years, underscoring the need to raise awareness about the risks of irregular migration.
