31 Bangladeshis Deported by Trump Administration for Illegal Stay in the U.S.

Staff Reporter

The U.S. government has deported 31 Bangladeshi nationals for residing in the country illegally. The repatriation process began in February this year under the new immigration policies implemented after President Donald Trump took office.

The Special Branch (SB) of Bangladesh Police and immigration sources at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport confirmed the matter.

Sources revealed that among the deportees, 30 were men and one was a woman. They were sent back after losing their immigration cases but continuing to stay in the U.S.

Three of them were escorted directly to Dhaka by members of a special U.S. security force, while the others were sent back like regular passengers.

The latest group of five Bangladeshis was deported on a chartered flight last Saturday, which arrived in Bangladesh via Nepal.

Shahadat Hossain, a resident of Noakhali who was deported, shared that he was sent back on March 9.

He said, *”The U.S. government covered my flight expenses. I was put on an Emirates Airlines flight. They treated me respectfully—no handcuffs or mistreatment. I returned like a regular passenger.”*

Shahadat added that he had applied for political asylum in the U.S., but his application was denied, leading to his deportation. He had gone to New York nine months ago.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration is not only deporting illegal immigrants but also foreign students who protested against Israel’s actions in Gaza, sending them back to their home countries.

Media reports indicate that some Indian nationals were deported in military planes with handcuffs, sparking international criticism.

The U.S. Embassy in Dhaka had previously informed the Bangladeshi government about the matter and sent a diplomatic note regarding the issue.

Shariful Hasan, Associate Director (Migration and Youth Platform) of BRAC, which works on migration issues, said, “BRAC assists deportees at the airport, providing counseling and financial support if needed. If the government agrees, we are ready to help those deported from the U.S.”

It was learned that among those deported last Saturday, two were from Noakhali, while the remaining three were residents of Cumilla, Chattogram, and Sylhet.

Notably, Trump was sworn in as U.S. President on January 20 and issued an executive order on January 29 directing the deportation of illegal immigrants.

This is the first time information about Bangladeshis being deported has come to light.

Relevant sources have indicated that the process of deporting more Bangladeshis is ongoing.