POBNEWS24, Desk report, May 17, 2024 : UK and Bangladesh agree to Fast Track Return Agreement Under this agreement, citizens whose asylum applications are rejected will be sent back to Bangladesh. This is bad news for Bangladeshis seeking asylum on student, worker or visitor visas.
This return agreement was agreed by the UK-Bangladesh Home Affairs Joint Working Group in London this week. And yesterday Thursday (May 16) announced the British Home Office.
The Home Office says foreign nationals who failed to seek asylum and those who remain in Britain after their visas have expired will soon be deported.
About 11,000 Bangladeshis entered Britain in 2023 on visas of various categories. They applied for asylum within 12 months. The Telegraph reports that these migrants came on student, worker or visitor visas until March last year to use the ‘back door’ to enter Britain seeking asylum.
Among these, students who have applied for asylum for permanent residence without continuing their studies there and workers or visitors who have also applied for asylum, have also had their applications rejected.
Tomlinson, Britain’s Minister of State for Illegal Immigration, said that speeding up the removal of foreigners is an important part of our plan to stop the flow of people. Bangladesh is our valued partner. It is great that we are strengthening our relationship with them on this and other issues. We have already seen clear evidence that these agreements have a significant impact on illegal immigration.
He said, global problems require global solutions. I look forward to working with Bangladesh and other partners to create a fairer system for all.
The visa allows one to stay in the UK for a specified period of time – usually a few months, the Telegraph reports. But asylum seekers are likely to remain here indefinitely. Because the Home Office faces huge obstacles to repatriating them, including human rights laws.
A record 21,525 asylum claims were made by visa holders, according to government documents leaked last month and up to March 2023. One in every 140 people who entered Britain on a visa sought asylum.
Pakistan was the largest number of asylum seekers. About 17,400 Pakistanis seek asylum. Next is the name of Bangladesh. 11 thousand seek asylum from this country. It is followed by India (7400 people), Nigeria (6600 people) and Afghanistan (6000 people).
