Digital screening for illegal Bangladeshis in Europe

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Sheikh Shahariar Zaman
Published : 11:54, Jan 16, 2020 | Updated : 15:16, Jan 16, 2020

European Union flags flutter outside the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium June 14, 2017. REUTERSThe process to verify and bring back illegal Bangladeshis living in Europe is set to be digitised with the development of a software and database.
The software will be developed by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) funded by the European Union.
In September 2017 Bangladesh inked a deal with the EU countries to bring back illegal immigrants living there.
A foreign ministry official speaking on the condition of anonymity said that in order to bring the entire process under a framework, a standard of procedure has been signed.
Under the Standard of Procedure, 100 immigrants can be deported in a month after the legal procedures are complete.
“The information that we receive from the EU is done in the traditional manner. It’s verified the same way as well,” he said.
He added that the software will speed up the process of sending back illegal Bangladeshis back to the country.
Saying that the data centre will be used to verify immigrants, he added that it will be connected to the Election Commission as well as the Immigration Division.
“The fingerprints will be cross-matched with Election Commission and Immigration Department though the data centre,” he said.
Responding to queries on when the process is likely to be complete, he said that it will take a few months.

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