Photo: Messenger
Over the past decade, the pursuit of a better life in Europe has come at a staggering cost for Bangladeshis. Approximately 8,000 Bangladeshi nationals have tragically drowned while attempting to reach Italy through illegal means. This figure accounts for a harrowing 12 percent of the estimated 63,000 total casualties from Bangladesh, African, and other South Asian countries like India and Pakistan during the same period.
In a heartbreaking development, the bodies of eight Bangladeshi nationals arrived in Dhaka on May 3, serving as a grim reminder of the perils faced by those seeking a better life abroad. These individuals tragically lost their lives when the boat they were traveling in capsized off the Tunisian coast during an attempt to cross the treacherous Mediterranean Sea.
Sources say a certain group of brokers entice village youths in various ways. Additionally, they widely circulate pictures and videos on Facebook of those who managed to reach Italy by boat. Many falls victim to adverse weather conditions in the sea despite reaching their destination. If the bodies cannot be recovered, they receive a watery grave in the sea.
Shah Abdul Tariq, Additional Director General of Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Ltd (BMET), said, “This is a very tragic incident. A certain class of brokers is pushing people towards such perilous situations. While the individual meets a tragic death, the family faces lifelong loss.”
In response to a question, he said this is certainly tarnishing Bangladesh's image abroad.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the central Mediterranean route has emerged as the world's deadliest and most dangerous migration pathway. From 2014 to the end of 2023, IOM's Missing Migrants Project has recorded over 63,000 deaths and disappearances on this migration route. And 12 per cent of them are Bangladeshis. Year after year, the number of deaths due to migration has increased across the Mediterranean, Africa and Asia. Various measures have failed to curb this.
According to the organization, in the Mediterranean, 3,139 people died in 2017, 2,299 in 2018, 443 in 2019, 900 in 2020, 1,230 in 2021, 1,150 in 2022 and 2,500 in 2023 while trying to reach Europe. The list includes citizens of Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and African countries.
Recently, during her Dhaka visit, IOM Director General Amy Pope presented a report on international migration at an event. The report states that countries like Libya serve as transit points. Over time, this route has seen a massive rise in smuggling and trafficking networks. As a result, thousands of migrants have lost their lives on this route, according to reports.
On the other hand, according to UNHCR sources, in 2023, Bangladesh ranked fourth in terms of attempts to enter Europe via the Mediterranean Sea route. In 2022, it was third, while in 2021, Bangladesh topped the list. It held the second position in 2020. And in the first three months of this year, Bangladesh has again climbed to the top.
Dr. Tasneem Siddiqui, Chairperson of the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU), told The Daily Messenger, “I always blame the labour recruitment process of developed countries for such a situation.”
She also said, “Our people also get lured towards those countries for a better life if they have money. Since there is no opportunity for legal migration, they are choosing this illegal way, resulting in loss of lives.”
She added, “Since there is a demand for labour, we need to arrange skill development within our education system. More emphasis should be given on technical education so that we don't miss out on overseas job opportunities. I believe if these issues are properly addressed, the tendency to take the illegal route will decrease.”
According to data, from January 1 to May 5 this year, 54,418 migrants reached Europe, with 52,26 entering via the Mediterranean Sea. Of them, 547 migrants went missing or died just while crossing the Mediterranean. Another 2,392 entered Europe by land route.
Data from the BRAC Migration Programme shows that in recent years, interviews were conducted with 2,284 returnees from Europe and Libya. They were from districts like Sylhet, Sunamganj, Madaripur, Munshiganj, Shariatpur, Dhaka, Noakhali, Kishoreganj, Brahmanbaria, and Cumilla. Each spent between Tk 3-15 lakh for the journey.
Shariful Hasan, Associate Director of BRAC, said, “It's a matter of shame for us that Bangladesh tops the list in terms of reaching Europe by sea route. Countries like Syria, Afghanistan, Sudan, and Eritrea are also on this list - nations plagued by war and poverty. But Bangladesh's condition is not like that. Yet our people are going to Europe just for an elusive dream. People are going to Dubai on visit visas in the name of labor migration. Women and girls are being trafficked to India. Just as we need to be aware to prevent trafficking, law enforcement agencies must work in a coordinated manner.”
He further said, “Educated people are also leaving the country for places like Canada. We need to find out where our real crisis lies.”
Dr Jalal Uddin Sikder, a teacher at North South University and migration expert, said, “In addition to raising awareness among migrants, discussion with stakeholders at home and abroad is extremely important. We need to research why they are becoming desperate to go abroad, taking deadly risks. Secondly, brokers must be brought under the law. For brokers operating at transit points in Libya, Turkey and Dubai, we may need to engage with the governments of those countries if necessary.”
Messenger/Disha
