Sushanta Das Gupta, London:
The United Kingdom has identified Bangladesh as one of the top five countries of origin for asylum applicants, prompting British authorities to highlight voluntary return and reintegration packages for those whose claims are denied.
British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cook disclosed the statistics during a courtesy meeting with Bangladesh’s Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, Ariful Haque Choudhury, in Dhaka. High Commissioner Cook emphasized that the UK government has adopted a stringent stance on asylum seekers, resulting in a very low approval rate for recent applications originating from Bangladesh.
To address the backlog and encourage non-compliant migrants to leave, the UK Home Office is promoting its Voluntary Returns Service (VRS). Under this scheme, Bangladeshi nationals who choose to return voluntarily after their asylum bids are rejected are eligible for up to £3,000 (approximately BDT 4.5 lakh) in financial and rehabilitation assistance. This funding is designed to help returnees reintegrate, find housing, start businesses, or access vocational training upon their return, with additional on-the-ground support facilitated by partners like BRAC.
Crucially, British authorities clarified that this financial package and reintegration assistance are strictly reserved for individuals who depart voluntarily. Those who bypass the offer and are subsequently deported through compulsory legal and administrative processes will not receive any financial aid.
The minister and the high commissioner also discussed collaborative efforts to combat illegal migration while jointly developing structured, safe, and legal labor migration pathways. The UK is currently exploring vocational training partnerships to assist skilled Bangladeshi workers in accessing legitimate overseas employment markets.
