US Deports another 39 Bangladeshis by Military Plane

The United States has repatriated 39 Bangladeshi nationals on a US military C-17 aircraft, marking a significant escalation in the country's crackdown on undocumented immigration. The group, who had been living illegally in various US states, arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Saturday morning, Daily Dazzling Dawn understands.

The operation, carried out by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), was confirmed by Bangladesh's immigration police. This action is part of a broader, more aggressive policy on immigration that has been intensifying under the current US administration.

While initial reports from the Consular and Welfare Wing of Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs suggested that 61 citizens were slated for repatriation, a source from the Special Branch (SB) of the police confirmed that the military aircraft ultimately carried 39 individuals to Dhaka.

This is not an isolated event. The US has been progressively deporting undocumented immigrants from a number of countries, with this latest action bringing the total number of repatriated Bangladeshis to over 150 in recent years. This move is widely seen as a stern message to those residing in the US without legal status.

Officials noted that while some deportees from other countries have been sent back in handcuffs, the Bangladeshi returnees were treated humanely, a point that had been a key request from the Bangladesh government during diplomatic discussions. Upon arrival, the individuals were processed by immigration police in Dhaka. The specific details of their cases were not made public, but it is understood they had been living in the US without proper documentation.

This approach underscores a shift toward more rigorous enforcement of immigration laws, with direct repatriation flights being a central component of this strategy. The policy is expected to have a significant impact on the Bangladeshi diaspora and other communities of undocumented immigrants in the US.

The repatriation flight was conducted using a C-17 Globemaster III military transport aircraft, a fact confirmed by multiple sources. The deportees were reportedly treated humanely, without being restrained with handcuffs, in a positive outcome of diplomatic discussions between the two nations. This latest repatriation brings the total number of Bangladeshis sent back from the US in recent times to well over 150, as the US government continues to enforce a strict policy on illegal immigration. This policy has been consistent across multiple administrations and involves close coordination between US agencies like ICE and their counterparts in other countries, including Bangladesh.