Earlier, 44 Bangladeshis were deported from the country. Meanwhile, Greek embassy officials are in Malta. At the same time, a delegation from Bangladesh came to check whether the illegal immigrants were Bangladeshis and identified 160 people as Bangladeshi citizens.
Sources said that although 46 people were supposed to be sent earlier, two of them got the opportunity to stay in Malta through the legal process. A Malta Awami League leader, who did not want to be named, lamented that the embassy was giving out passes to deport Bangladeshis without keeping them.
He said Bangladeshis who came illegally sought refugee with the Maltese government, citing humanitarian, political and family issues.
Officials from Bangladesh Embassy in Grece said the allegation was not true. No Bangladeshi is being forcibly returned. They want to leave voluntarily.
Meanwhile, All European Bangladesh Association (AEBA) Secretary General Kazi Enayet Ullah said that our organization has already contacted the Malta administration and high-ranking officials of the European Union Commission in Brussels to stand by the helpless Bangladeshis. As well as continuing negotiations with a specialized law firm in Malta to provide the legal assistance for the helpless Bangladeshis in Malta.
He added that AEBA is committed to working in the interest of the country. Earlier in 2016, 3,800 Bangladeshis were given legal status in Portugal with the help of AEBA. Following this, AEBA has started working in Malta to stand by the helpless Bangladeshis.