The Ministry of Home Affairs has formed an 11-member taskforce to determine measures for addressing the issue of foreign nationals staying illegally in Bangladesh.
A notification issued on Monday, signed by Deputy Secretary Md. Kamruzzaman, confirmed the formation of the task force, which will be led by the Additional Secretary (Security and Immigration) of the Security Services Division as the convener. The Joint Secretary (Immigration-2 Branch) will act as the member secretary of the committee.
The task force includes representatives from various key government agencies, such as the Director General of the Office of the Chief Adviser, the Director General (Consular) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Joint Secretary (Political-1 Branch) of the Public Security Division. Other members include the Deputy Inspector General of Police (Immigration) from the Special Branch (SB), the Additional Director General of Passport, Visa, and Immigration at the Directorate of Immigration and Passport, and the Director of the Operations Wing at Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). Additionally, the Director of the NGO Affairs Bureau, the Director (External Relations and Liaison Wing) of the Directorate of National Security Intelligence, and the Director (External Affairs and Liaison Bureau) of the Directorate General of Defense Intelligence are part of the task force.
The notification stated that the task force would coordinate actions and provide guidance on managing illegal foreign nationals. It will also have the authority to issue instructions on necessary measures and make recommendations when required. Furthermore, the task force may invite relevant officials or experts to attend meetings and co-opt additional members to ensure comprehensive decision-making.
This initiative underscores the government’s commitment to addressing the challenges posed by undocumented foreign nationals while strengthening immigration management in Bangladesh.