Arya News - Earlier this year, the US deported 226 Bangladeshis, many of whom were also restrained similarly.
DHAKA – Thirty-one Bangladeshis were sent back from the US today, with several of them saying they were kept in handcuffs and shackles for nearly 60 hours before being flown to Dhaka.
They arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 7:00pm (Monday) on a special US military flight, according to airport officials.
After landing, airport authorities handed them over to Brac, which provided transportation and emergency support.
Most of those deported are from Noakhali, while others are from Sylhet, Feni, Shariatpur, Cumilla, and several other districts.
The returnees said they were only freed from the restraints after reaching Dhaka airport.
Earlier this year, the US deported 226 Bangladeshis, many of whom were also restrained in a similar way.
Shariful Hasan, associate director of Brac Migration and Youth Platform, told The Daily Star that after speaking with the returnees, they learnt at least seven of them had travelled to Brazil with clearance from the Bureau of Manpower, Employment, and Training.
“From there, they attempted to enter the US illegally through Mexico. After they applied to stay in the US, the legal process concluded with a decision to deport them.
“Sending back undocumented migrants may be normal, but keeping someone handcuffed and shackled for hours after hours is inhumane,” Shariful said.
He added that many of those being sent to Brazil “for work” were actually being routed towards Mexico and then to the US illegally, spending Tk 30 to 35 lakh each, only to return empty-handed.
“Those who sent them, and those who approved the process, must be held accountable. The government must be cautious before allowing the deployment of workers to Brazil again,” he added.
One of the returnees described what he went through during the deportation process.
“We were kept in handcuffs and shackles on the plane for about 40 hours. My legs became swollen — you can see what happened. They didn’t give me my bag either. I had dollars in it, and I haven’t gotten those back,” said the returnee.
“They opened the shackles only after we entered the Bangladesh airport. I was in a US jail for two months and five days,” the returnee added.
Since Donald Trump began his second term as US president, the crackdown on undocumented immigrants has intensified. As part of the campaign, multiple groups of Bangladeshis and nationals of other countries have been deported in recent months.
On 28 November this year, 39 Bangladeshis were sent back on a chartered flight, and on 8 June, another 42 returned the same way. Between 6 March and 21 April, at least 34 more Bangladeshis were deported on several flights. From early 2024 to August this year, the number of Bangladeshis returned from the US surpassed 220.
Under US law, undocumented migrants can be deported through court orders or administrative directives. When an asylum claim fails, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) carries out the removal. In recent months, with the process being expedited, the use of chartered and military flights has increased.