Not only the Nepalese, all foreigners over-staying here be under intelligence watch

POLICE detained 44 Nepalese youths from a house of DOHS area under Pallabi Police Station in Dhaka on Friday noon, as reported in a local English daily, for over-staying and working illegally in Bangladesh. Inspector (Investigation) of Pallabi Police Station Mainul Kabir said to the media that they detained those Nepalese and later contacted the Embassy of Nepal in Dhaka. According to media reports, the Embassy officials took the 44 detained persons into their custody in the afternoon. The Embassy would arrange their return to Nepal. All the detained Nepalese were male, aged between 20 and 40. They entered Bangladesh through Benapole border on tourist visas on 2nd May. Their visas expired on June 19, but they, instead of returning to their country, over-stayed in Dhaka and got employed without valid work-permit.Nepal is a friendly country of Bangladesh. We are happy that the matter ended peacefully with mutual understanding without creating any complication. But over-staying and working illegally in Bangladesh by foreigners is a deep-rooted problem for over the years. Informal data show that more than two hundred thousands foreign citizens belonging to Nepal, Sri Lanka, China, Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and some African countries have been staying in Bangladesh for a long time illegally and are employed in various sectors and also engaged in trades. It has already exposed risk for the country’s security arrangements and emerged as threat to the economic sector. Moreover, their illegal presence in job-market is creating problem, at least partially, in the employment sector where with each passing year millions of youths entering the ever competitive job markets. Surprisingly, the authorities concerned seemed to be not serious about the problem.Bangladesh is now passing through a crucial time. Terrorist activities in the name of religion have created an uncertain environment throughout the country. It is true, the law enforcing bodies are working hard to combat, resist and defeat terrorism. But in this back-drop there remains the chances of infiltration of bad elements from outside the country when the presence of illegally over-staying foreign nationals are huge in number. We are not advocating for witch hunting. But there is genuine grounds of apprehension that such over-staying of foreign nationals in Bangladesh, may pose security threats also. We strongly suggest that as of normal routine those foreigners – whether staying legally or over-staying illegally – be brought under intelligence watch and deported if needed that be as has been the case with the Nepalese in uniform application of laws.