Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury today requested that the EU establish a visa centre in Dhaka for member states that do not currently issue visas from Bangladesh.
He made the proposal at a meeting with EU Ambassador to Bangladesh, Michael Miller, in the Secretariat.
During the discussion, the two spoke about law and order, the Rohingya situation, migration, human trafficking and smuggling, and Bangladesh's ongoing reform efforts.
"Bangladesh is a major labor exporter to EU member states." Furthermore, a huge number of Bangladeshis visit EU nations for business, education, healthcare, tourism, and other reasons," Jahangir stated.
"Despite its small size, Bangladesh has one of the world's top ten largest populations. Traveling to New Delhi to seek visas for certain EU countries is time-consuming, complex, and costly. As a result, building a specialized visa center in Dhaka is critical," he noted.
In response, Miller stated that he will discuss the problem with officials from the appropriate EU member states.
Greeting the ambassador at the start of the meeting, the home adviser stated, "The EU is one of Bangladesh's main development partners. Since independence, the EU has made major contributions to the country's trade and infrastructure development.
Miller emphasized the EU's support for Bangladesh's ongoing reforms and offered to contribute technical expertise, training, and experience as needed.
Noting a shortage of trained professionals in Bangladesh for such reforms, the consultant suggested that key officials attend training courses in EU nations.
Miller stated that the EU is keen to collaborate with Bangladesh on the fight against human trafficking and smuggling.
He stated that every year, a considerable number of Bangladeshis, primarily from Bangladesh and the Middle East, attempt to migrate to Europe via Libya and the Mediterranean Sea, frequently becoming victims of trafficking networks.
"Many migrants struggle financially, and some even lose their lives. The envoy proposed a trilateral dialogue between Bangladesh, Libya, and the EU to address this issue and lead to a memorandum of understanding.
The adviser praised the suggestion and asked the EU to take the initiative, ensuring full collaboration from Bangladesh.
Responding to the envoy's inquiry about the law and order situation, Jahangir stated that it is now satisfactory and improving.
The ambassador highlighted the EU's desire to assist Bangladesh in improving its security capabilities and economic development.
When asked about organised crime and national crime data, Jahangir stated that the number of various crimes has been decreasing.
He continued, "One of our bordering countries has been disseminating rumors and incorrect information about Bangladesh. I always urge our media to provide factual and accurate reporting."
Miller shared this opinion, stating, "The more precise information we supply to the public, the less place there is for misinformation."
Regarding the Rohingya crisis, Jahangir stated, "While the official number of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh is 1.2 million, the actual number is much greater. This is a threat to law and order in Cox's Bazar.
He noted that several law enforcement authorities are collaborating to maintain regional security, in addition to efforts by local and international groups to enhance refugees' general living conditions.
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