ZCZC
BSS-40
LAW-ORDER-MEETING
Govt to deport 11,000 illegal foreigners: Mozammel Haque
DHAKA, Nov 7, 2019 (BSS) – The government has taken initiatives to deport
11,000 foreign nationals living in the country without valid documents.
“We will send back around 11,000 foreign nationals living in Bangladesh
from different countries including Africa,” Liberation War Affairs Minister
AKM Mozammel Haque told journalists at a briefing after a meeting of the
Cabinet Committee on Law and Order at the home ministry conference room.
During the briefing Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said that foreign
nationals from different countries come to Bangladesh obtaining visas but
some of them do not go back even after expiry of dates of visas. “They
(foreign nationals) are getting involved in various crimes. Many of them are
in jail while some have finished their jail terms,” he added.
“A total of 11,000 foreigners will be sent back to their home countries,”
Kamal added.
Apart from this, AKM Mozammel Haque alleged that many diplomatic missions
here do not take steps regarding taking back their nationals having no valid
documents, adding, “We have taken decision to send them back if their visas
are expired.”
He said the law enforcement agencies identified the foreign nationals
whose visa validity expired and they have no money for traveling to their
countries.
“We have decided to seek money from the government for their repatriation
as it is urgent to send them back because they are creating trouble,” Haque
said.
Drive against foreign nationals living here illegally is going on, he
said, adding, “Now our government needs to give money to repatriate them.”
Meanwhile, the home minister urged house owners not to rent out their
houses to foreign nationals without confirmation of their genuine addresses.
He said house owners should check national identity cards (NID) and other
identities of foreign nationals before renting out their houses to them.
Replying to a question about Rohingyas’ passport, Mozammel Haque said that
there is no scope of issuing passports for Rohingyas as it is fully
computerized and follows biometric system.
He said rallies against drug abuse and repression of women were staged
across the country under the home ministry following Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina’s zero tolerance policy against illegal drugs.
Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque chaired the meeting
while Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi,
State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmood Chowdhury, State Minister for
Public Administration Farhad Hossain and officials concerned attended it.
BSS/ASG/SAS/ARS/1829 hrs