Yunus-led govt in Bangladesh shows no progress, thousands flee abroad: Report

Dhaka, Sep 30 (IANS) Although more than a year has passed since Bangladesh's Muhammad Yunus-led interim government presented itself as a progressive alternative, promising reforms, dignity, and international recognition, there has been no progress on the ground, a report cited on Tuesday.

It added that neither have reforms been implemented, nor has the law and order situation improved; rather, a silent national crisis has emerged, driving thousands to leave the country.

"From India to Indonesia, Vietnam to Thailand — even Tajikistan, which once offered e-visas within one hour — governments are now making it difficult for Bangladeshis to enter foreign countries. Visa denials, delays, and bans have become the norm. The government blames human trafficking and the failures of the previous government. However, diplomats argue that the real reasons are diplomatic inaction, political instability, and the government's lack of legitimacy," a report in 'The Diplomat' detailed.

"In this conflict, Bangladeshi passports have fallen into a terrible crisis, causing suffering to millions of people. The Bangladeshi passport is no longer one that symbolises opportunity but has now become a reminder of crushed aspirations," it added.

According to the report, the first major failure of the Yunus-led interim government came in diplomacy.

Following the political change in August 2024, India stopped issuing tourist visas to Bangladeshis, and the ban remains in place a year later. Among nearly 10 million foreign tourists who visited India from April 2023 to March 2024, it said, over 2.1 million were Bangladeshis.

"Indonesia has also stopped on-arrival visas for Bangladeshis on the pretext of human trafficking. The visit of Indonesia’s deputy foreign minister to Dhaka in June made no progress on the issue. Thailand, which previously issued e-visas to Bangladeshis within a week, is now taking 40-50 days to process visas for Bangladeshi nationals," The Diplomat report stressed.

"The UAE has reduced the number of visas it issues to Bangladeshis; on average, only 30 to 50 Bangladeshis are getting UAE visas per day. Vietnam has stopped issuing tourist visas to Bangladeshis. Italy has more than 60,000 Bangladeshi visa applications pending," it added.

The report stressed that such instances underscored the declining global respect for the Bangladeshi passport.

In 2025, it said, Yunus is leading a nation whose international dignity diminishes with every rejected visa.

"As the head of state, it is his duty to restore democratic practices and establish political stability, so that Bangladesh can move forward with its head held high, so that its citizens do not face humiliation at foreign immigration checkpoints, and the credibility of the passport does not continue to decline," the report noted.

--IANS

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