The UK and Bangladesh have signed an agreement that will make it easier to deport Bangladeshi nationals from the UK back to their home country. This includes people convicted of crimes, those who have overstayed their visas, and rejected asylum seekers.
According to The Telegraph newspaper, around 11,000 Bangladeshis entered the UK last year on student, worker, or visitor visas and later claimed asylum in Britain. However, the Refugee Council questioned this figure, stating that the government’s own data shows only about 5,500 asylum claims were lodged by Bangladeshis in 2023, including those who arrived irregularly and those who arrived on visas.
The Telegraph accused the migrants of “abusing the visa system” and trying to “exploit a ‘back door’ to Britain” by claiming asylum. However, having a valid visa does not prohibit anyone from requesting asylum. Additionally, the UK Parliament has passed laws making asylum claims from those who arrive ‘illegally’ inadmissible and allowing for their detention and deportation to Rwanda.
According to The Telegraph, only 5% of Bangladeshis’ initial asylum claims are successful, suggesting that large numbers could be forced to return home under the new agreement. However, government figures show the actual grant rate for initial asylum claims by Bangladeshis in 2023 was over 20%.
The details of the returns agreement with Bangladesh have not been made public, but according to a government news story, it will streamline the process “by removing a mandatory interview for cases where there is good supporting evidence for removal.”
Michael Tomlinson, the UK Minister for Countering Illegal Migration, said the agreement is part of the government’s plan to stop people from coming or staying in the UK illegally. He added that similar agreements have had a significant impact on illegal migration and that the UK looks forward to working with Bangladesh and other partners to create a fairer system.
The UK government has previously claimed that a similar agreement signed with Albania in December 2022 has helped deter people from coming to Britain and reduced the number of arrivals by more than 90%.