Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Monday requested the European Union (EU) ambassador to open a visa centre in Dhaka for the EU countries whose visas are not issued from Bangladesh.
He made the request during a meeting with EU Ambassador to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley at the Home Ministry office at the Secretariat on Monday afternoon.
Faisal Hasan, director (public relations) of the ministry, said the two discussed the country's law and order, the Rohingya crisis, migration, human trafficking and smuggling prevention, and Bangladesh’s ongoing reform initiatives, among other issues.
The adviser said Bangladesh is one of the major manpower-exporting countries to EU nations. Besides, many Bangladeshis regularly travel to EU countries for business, education, healthcare, tourism and other purposes, he added.
Despite being a small country by size, Bangladesh is among the world's top 10 most populous countries, the adviser said, noting that travelling to New Delhi to obtain EU visas is time-consuming, difficult, and expensive. Opening a visa centre in Dhaka is therefore essential, he said.
The ambassador said he will discuss the matter with representatives of the EU countries concerned.
Welcoming the ambassador at the start of the meeting, the adviser said the EU is one of Bangladesh’s largest development partners and close collaborators.
Since its establishment, the EU has significantly contributed to Bangladesh's trade and infrastructure development, he added.
The ambassador said the EU supports Bangladesh’s ongoing reform process and expressed interest in providing the necessary skills, capacity, training, and experience if Bangladesh requests.
Highlighting a shortage of skilled and experienced personnel, the adviser urged the EU to arrange training workshops for relevant stakeholders in EU countries.
The adviser added that reforms are an ongoing process and will be successful with political leadership’s sincerity and consensus among stakeholders.
In response to a question about law and order, the adviser said the overall situation in Bangladesh is satisfactory and gradually improving.
The ambassador expressed the EU’s willingness to assist Bangladesh in enhancing its security capacity and economic development.
Asked about organised crime statistics, the adviser said the rate of various crimes is decreasing gradually.
Mentioning the spread of misinformation, the ambassador said the more accurate information is provided to the public, the more misinformation can be countered.
The adviser noted that a neighbouring country is spreading rumours and false information about Bangladesh, and said he consistently urges the media to present accurate news.
Regarding Rohingya refugees, the adviser said officially 1.2 million Rohingya refugees are living in Bangladesh, although the actual number is higher.
He added that their concentration in Cox's Bazar poses a challenge to law and order in the area, and that law enforcement agencies are working in an integrated manner to maintain security, along with support from local and international organisations working to improve the refugees' quality of life.
The ambassador said the EU wants to work closely with Bangladesh to prevent human trafficking and smuggling.
He highlighted that a large number of Bangladeshis try to reach Europe via Libya and the Mediterranean each year, often falling victim to traffickers and suffering financial loss or even death.
He proposed arranging a tripartite dialogue among Bangladesh, Libya, and the EU to combat illegal migration and human trafficking, leading to the signing of a memorandum of understanding.
The adviser welcomed the proposal and urged the EU to take the lead and necessary initiatives in this regard, assuring full cooperation from Bangladesh.
