UNB, Dhaka :
Bangladesh and the European Union (EU) will hold discussions next week to conclude ongoing negotiations on taking back the irregular Bangladeshis currently living in 28 EU member countries.
A high-level EU delegation is likely to arrive here on August 29 to hold the talks with Bangladesh to finalize the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on the return of irregular migrants from the EU countries.
Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque will lead Bangladeshi delegation comprising senior officials from the foreign and home ministries, a senior official at the Foreign Ministry told UNB.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has apparently threatened to ‘limit visas’ to Europe for travellers from Bangladesh if there was no action by Dhaka on irregular migrants.
In a letter to Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni recently, Juncker also promised to ‘pressure Bangladesh’ to take back its migrants, since the ‘vast majority of them’ are ineligible for international protection.
Asked why the EU turned so ‘cruel’ suddenly, outgoing European Union Ambassador to Bangladesh Pierre Mayaudon said, “I beg to differ. We’re not cruel at all. The EU is open to Bangladeshis.”
He said over the last two years the number of Bangladeshis who tried to enter Europe through illegal channels has dramatically increased putting their lives at risk. “Our intention is to save the lives of people. We’re looking at it on a very humanitarian aspect,” the Ambassador told UNB. He said every year the EU Member states issue an average 20,000 residence permits to Bangladeshis to stay and work there.
Bangladesh, earlier in principle, decided to take back its irregular migrants from Europe after proper verification of their nationality. Bangladesh and the EU are now discussing the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on the return of irregular migrants from the EU countries. Expressing regret at “lack of progress” in return of the illegal Bangladeshis at the eighth joint commission meeting,the EU issued an ultimatum to the Bangladesh government to end the negotiations on the Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) by end of July last.
On July 26 Bangladesh finalised the terms and conditions for the return of irregular migrants from the EU and agreed to bring back all its irregular nationals through a nationality verification process but sought adequate time. The EU delegation, comprising high officials of EU Foreign Service and the Directorate General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME), will go for extensive negotiation on the EU draft SOPs submitted to the Bangladeshi government in June 2016, and the amended drafts finalised by Bangladesh on July 26, 2017.
The two-day meeting will finalise the terms and conditions in detail and two sides are likely to sign a deal on SOPs.
Bangladesh and the European Union (EU) will hold discussions next week to conclude ongoing negotiations on taking back the irregular Bangladeshis currently living in 28 EU member countries.
A high-level EU delegation is likely to arrive here on August 29 to hold the talks with Bangladesh to finalize the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on the return of irregular migrants from the EU countries.
Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque will lead Bangladeshi delegation comprising senior officials from the foreign and home ministries, a senior official at the Foreign Ministry told UNB.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has apparently threatened to ‘limit visas’ to Europe for travellers from Bangladesh if there was no action by Dhaka on irregular migrants.
In a letter to Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni recently, Juncker also promised to ‘pressure Bangladesh’ to take back its migrants, since the ‘vast majority of them’ are ineligible for international protection.
Asked why the EU turned so ‘cruel’ suddenly, outgoing European Union Ambassador to Bangladesh Pierre Mayaudon said, “I beg to differ. We’re not cruel at all. The EU is open to Bangladeshis.”
He said over the last two years the number of Bangladeshis who tried to enter Europe through illegal channels has dramatically increased putting their lives at risk. “Our intention is to save the lives of people. We’re looking at it on a very humanitarian aspect,” the Ambassador told UNB. He said every year the EU Member states issue an average 20,000 residence permits to Bangladeshis to stay and work there.
Bangladesh, earlier in principle, decided to take back its irregular migrants from Europe after proper verification of their nationality. Bangladesh and the EU are now discussing the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on the return of irregular migrants from the EU countries. Expressing regret at “lack of progress” in return of the illegal Bangladeshis at the eighth joint commission meeting,the EU issued an ultimatum to the Bangladesh government to end the negotiations on the Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) by end of July last.
On July 26 Bangladesh finalised the terms and conditions for the return of irregular migrants from the EU and agreed to bring back all its irregular nationals through a nationality verification process but sought adequate time. The EU delegation, comprising high officials of EU Foreign Service and the Directorate General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME), will go for extensive negotiation on the EU draft SOPs submitted to the Bangladeshi government in June 2016, and the amended drafts finalised by Bangladesh on July 26, 2017.
The two-day meeting will finalise the terms and conditions in detail and two sides are likely to sign a deal on SOPs.
