Home affairs adviser retired Lieutenant General Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Monday requested the European Union ambassador to Bangladesh, Michael Miller, to facilitate the establishment of a visa centre in Dhaka for the EU member states that currently do not issue visas from Bangladesh.
The request was made at a meeting held at the home affairs ministry at the secretariat in the capital Dhaka, where various bilateral issues were discussed, including law and order, the Rohingya crisis, migration, human trafficking, smuggling prevention and the ongoing reform processes in Bangladesh.
The adviser observed that Bangladesh was one of the major manpower-exporting countries to the EU nations and many Bangladeshis regularly travelled to the EU countries for business, education, healthcare, and tourism purposes.
Noting that a large number of Bangladeshis travelling to New Delhi of India for visa processing is time-consuming, difficult, and costly, he stressed the urgent need for a centralised EU visa centre in Dhaka.
Miller responded positively and assured that he would consult with the relevant representatives of the EU member states regarding the proposal.
Jahangir praised the EU as a significant development partner and close ally of Bangladesh, acknowledging the EU鈥檚 continuous support in trade and infrastructure development.
Miller reaffirmed the EU鈥檚 commitment to supporting Bangladesh鈥檚 ongoing reform efforts, offering capacity-building, training and technical expertise.
On the issue of law and order, the adviser said that the current situation was stable and it had been improving gradually.
Miller expressed the EU鈥檚 interest in enhancing Bangladesh鈥檚 security capabilities and economic development while he pointed out the spread of misinformation, stressing that transparency and access to accurate data were vital to countering it.
The adviser added that a neighbouring country often spread rumours and falsehoods about Bangladesh and urged the media to uphold truthful reporting.
Regarding the Rohingya refugee crisis, the adviser stated that although the official number was 1.2 million, the actual figure was likely higher, posing significant challenges to law and order in the Cox鈥檚 Bazar region.
Jahangir added that the government along with various national and international agencies was working to improve the refugees鈥� living conditions and maintain security.
Miller expressed the EU鈥檚 willingness to work closely with Bangladesh to prevent human trafficking and smuggling.
He also said that many Bangladeshis attempted to reach European countries through Libya and the Mediterranean, often falling victim to traffickers and suffering financial losses or even fatalities.
To address this, he proposed a tripartite dialogue among Bangladesh, Libya and the EU, which could lead to the signing of a memorandum of understanding.
The adviser supported the initiative and urged the EU to lead and coordinate the process, assuring of Bangladesh鈥檚 full cooperation.