Two expatriate rights organizations have called on Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus to engage in dialogue with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to expedite the issuance of visas for approximately 110,000 work permits granted by the Italian government for 2023-24.

The Bangladesh Migration Development Forum (BMDF) and the Bangladesh Expatriates’ Development Association made this appeal during a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unity on Sunday.
Speakers at the event noted that the Italian government’s 2023-2025 immigration decree set out a three-year plan for the legal entry of foreign workers, with a total quota of 452,000. In response to applications from Italian employers for 2024-2025, the Italian government issued work permits to around 110,000 Bangladeshi workers who had already submitted visa applications to the Italian embassy’s visa center.
Under Italian visa regulations, the embassy is required to process visa applications within 90 days of submission. However, many Bangladeshi workers have been waiting between 12 to 14 months for their visas to be issued.

The speakers also pointed out that, despite holding valid work permits, many workers have been unable to secure appointments to submit their visa applications for the past 6 to 12 months, further delaying the process. They highlighted the dire situation facing migrant workers, who, after spending large sums of money to secure jobs abroad, are left without income while waiting for work, some for as long as 12 to 24 months.

BMDF President Khairuzzaman Kamal, General Secretary Samsun Nahar Aziz Leena, Joint General Secretary Zainal Abedin Joy, and Executive Director of the Bangladesh Expatriates’ Development Society Shah Mohammad Taifur Rahman Choton, along with Legal Aid Service Director for Migrant Workers Advocate Kamruzzaman, were among the speakers at the event.