Illegal foreigners won’t be allowed to stay in Bangladesh: Jahangir

Home Affairs Adviser, Lieutenant General (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, stated on Sunday that illegal foreigners will not be allowed to stay in Bangladesh.

He made this announcement following a meeting on law and order for the Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations.

The adviser also mentioned that a notice would be issued regarding illegal foreigners. However, he did not provide any information about the number of illegal foreigners currently in Bangladesh.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Ministry of Home Affairs warned that complaints have been received from various sources about foreign nationals residing and working in Bangladesh illegally. The Ministry urged all such individuals to legalize their stay by promptly obtaining the required documents for residence or employment. Failure to comply will result in legal action.

When asked about the announcement, Jahangir Alam said, "We have issued a public notice in the newspapers regarding illegal foreigners. No foreign national will be allowed to remain in Bangladesh illegally."

Addressing queries about the number and origin of illegal foreign nationals, he stated, "We currently do not have statistics on how many individuals or which countries they are from. If we had the data, I would have shared it. People from many countries are here illegally, but we will not permit anyone to stay without proper documentation."

On the rationale behind the decision, he remarked, "This is not a sudden move, nor is it directly related to law and order. There is no specific reason."

When asked about the timeline for deporting illegal foreigners, he responded, "First, we need to compile the list. Once we have it, we will be able to determine the timeframe for action."