Due to the diplomatic efforts of Bangladesh government, on arrival visa facility was introduced for travelers from Bangladesh to Indonesia and other countries. While this was done to facilitate travelers and tourists, it was exploited by human traffickers. Using ‘on arrival’ countries as transits, job seekers are being illegally sent to other countries.
As a result, the Foreign ministry has imposed restrictions on travel without visas. The same applies for those coming back on travel permits.
As Malaysia has stopped issuing workers' visas for Bangladeshis, many enter the country through Indonesia.
Bangladesh government is also following a strict selection over those who are going abroad using the on arrival facility.
Many passengers without visas are returned with ‘offloaded’ seal. On Feb 6 last, police rescued 193 Bangladeshi citizens from a sealed room in Medan, Indonesia.
They were trafficked with promises of a passage to Malaysia.
Two days later, 59 more Bangladeshis were rescued from Sumatra Island who were also lured with the ‘Malaysia’ dream.
Indonesian immigration officials say that Bangladeshis came on a boat and did not have any valid papers.
Indonesia has already ramped up vigilance to prevent illegal migration.
Immigration officials say that many Bangladeshis take advantage of the on arrival visa facility and become victims of trafficking to Indonesia, Vietnam, Vanuatu and Jamaica.
There’s also the tendency to go to the Maldives via Sri Lanka, South Africa via Kenya and the Latin American countries.
A returnee from Indonesia, says: “the broker took Tk 300,000 from me and promised to send me to Malaysia; but later, I was told that the entry to Malaysia has to be through Indonesia; in Indonesia, we were kept at different places, but eventually, we could not go to Malaysia.”
Many who overstayed in Vietnam were issued travel permits by the Bangladesh embassy and finally, managed to return.
Immigration police in Bangladesh are also alert in allowing people to enter with travel permits to prevent Rohingyas from entering Bangladesh, using such documents.
Additional secretary of the Home ministry, Abu Bakar Siddiqui, said: “Steps have been taken to stop human trafficking and the airport authority has been instructed not to allow anyone to travel outside without visas and those coming in with travel permits will have their details checked.”