News Report Against the backdrop of killing of Italian and Japanese citizens, the government should mull over developing a database for keeping the track of foreign citizens living in Bangladesh, opine the experts. Cesare Tavella, an Italian man, was killed at Gulshan on September 29, while a Japanese man was shot dead at Kaunia in Rangpur on October 3. The data on arrival and departure of foreign nationals have not been updated by the special branch of the police department, said sources in the Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) and Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC). Sources in the BPC said they have sent letters to the special branch of the police on several occasions to update the data on arrival and departure of foreign nationals. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced the year 2016 as the ‘Tourism Year’ with a target of attracting one million tourists. Sources said the data on arrival and departure of foreign nationals has been updated by the special branch of the police department up to mid-2013. Foreign experts willing to work in Bangladeshi factories/industries (outside EPZ) need to take permission from the Board of Investment (BOI). In Bangladesh the investors are allowed to employ foreign experts/skilled technicians, managers in their commercial and industrial undertakings. The foreign experts in the local industries are allowed to ensure proper technology and knowledge transfer from those experts. However, if the expertise is available in the country, no foreign employment is permitted, said BOI official. In 2013, BOI approved 5,345 work permits. Among those, 37.81 per cent were in commercial sector and the rest 62.19 per cent in the industrial sector. Besides, 45.61 per cent were new and 54.39 per cent were extension of the exiting permits. India topped the list with 1161 nationals, followed by China with 435 nationals, Pakistan with 495 nationals, Sri Lanka with 396 nationals, the Philippines with 154 nationals, South Korea with 125 nationals and Thailand with 126 nationals with a total number of 3324 in the industrial sector. In the commercial sector, India topped the list with 297 nationals, followed by China with 175 nationals, Sri Lanka with 144 nationals, Japan with 106 nationals, Pakistan with 96 nationals, Uzbekistan with 109 nationals, Australia with 56 nationals, the Philippines with 95 nationals, Thailand with 60 nationals, South Korea with 59 nationals, Australia with 56 nationals, British with 52 nationals, Canada with 50 nationals, USA with 44 nationals, Spain with 33 nationals with a total of 2021 persons. According to sources, a total of 2213 foreign nationals have been registered with Bangladesh Export processing Zones Authority. A total of 420,101 persons are employed in Chittagong, Dhaka, Comilla, Mongla, Uttara, Ishurdi, Adamjee, Karnaphuli EPZs. According to sources in the NGO Bureau Affairs, some 300 foreign nationals are working in the sector. In Bangladesh, less than 800 diplomats are working with some 50 diplomatic missions and 20 international organizations. According to sources of the University Grants Commission (UGC), some 2000 foreign students are pursuing higher education in both public and private universities . The number of foreign students in 20 public universities out of 34 dropped to 326 in 2013 from 525 students in 2012, according to the 40th annual report of the University Grants Commission (UGC). The number of foreign students was 1612 in 2013 in private universities compared to 1642 students in 2012. A total of 1208 students are enrolled with University of Science and Technology (UST) in Chittagong and all of them are studying in MBBS course at the UST. According to information from BOI, BEPZ, NGO Bureau Affairs, UGC and diplomatic missions and international organizations, some 8700 foreign nationals are living for mid- and long-term. ‘If we count these foreign nationals living with their family in Bangladesh, the number could be as high as 30,000, said a BOI official. Bangladesh’s dependence on foreign experts and skilled workers has been increasing as the highly educated skilled people from the country are migrating to different countries. The huge brain drain is now biting the foreign exchange coffer with $4 billion dollars outward remittance every year. The highly paid officials and CEOs are hired by the multi-national companies, local big business houses and also by the government. Even the mid-level managers are also hired from India, Korea, China, Sri Lanka and other South and South East Asian countries. It remains a matter of concern that the illegal immigrants enter Bangladesh with forged visa. Those who come with valid visa overstay in Bangladesh. It is the responsibility of the police to detect these people who are nabbed in currency forgery cases, smuggling and in cyber crimes. . Some top home ministry officials while talking to the News Today stressed the need for proper registration of foreign nationals in the context of national security.
