Diplomatic Correspondent :
Italy has reaffirmed its commitment to resolving the outstanding work visa issue for Bangladeshi manpower at the earliest opportunity, signalling its desire to strengthen migration cooperation with Bangladesh.
During a courtesy call on Thursday with Md Jashim Uddin, the newly appointed Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh, Italy’s Ambassador, Alessandro De Pedys, emphasised Italy’s willingness to work closely with Bangladesh to curb irregular migration and promote legal pathways for skilled workers.
Ambassador De Pedys expressed hope that the already friendly bilateral relations between Italy and Bangladesh would grow further in the coming days.
He described Bangladesh as a crucial partner for Italy, particularly regarding migration, and reiterated Italy’s intention to deepen collaboration on migration issues.
Foreign Secretary Jashim Uddin expressed deep appreciation for Italy’s generosity in hosting the second largest Bangladeshi diaspora in Europe, acknowledging the significant contributions made by Bangladeshi migrants to both nations’ economies. He urged the Ambassador to expedite the processing of pending work visa applications, offering full cooperation from the Bangladeshi government.
Ambassador De Pedys explained that a considerable number of work visa applications are currently pending due to the interference of organised criminal networks, which have been attempting to manipulate the visa system through counterfeit documents. This, coupled with an unexpected surge in visa requests, has overwhelmed the Embassy’s resources.
In response, the Italian government has introduced strict measures to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling. The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation is actively assisting the Embassy in identifying and separating suspicious applications from genuine ones, aiming to fast-track the issuance of legitimate work permits (Nulla Osta).
Ambassador De Pedys anticipated that with the addition of more personnel at the Italian Embassy in Dhaka, visa processing would accelerate in the coming weeks. He assured that a significant number of genuine visa applications would be cleared by year-end, while any suspicious requests would undergo thorough investigation.
Both the Foreign Secretary and the Italian Ambassador expressed optimism that the pending Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two governments on migration and mobility would soon be finalised.
The MoU is expected to create legal pathways for the employment of skilled Bangladeshi workers in Italy, reduce irregular migration, and enhance cooperation on repatriation matters.
Foreign Secretary Jashim Uddin commended the Ambassador for his proactive and practical efforts, hoping for swift resolution of the work visa issues that would benefit both nations.