At least 500 protest in capital's Shahabuddin Park demanding Italian visa

More than 500 people, many sporting banners, aspiring to migrate to Italy have gathered at Dhaka's Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed Park near the Italian Embassy, seeking the return of their passports with visas following long delays. 

Protesters complained that the embassy had given 90 days processing time while applying for the agricultural visa, but many had their passports held up for two to two-and-a-half years. 

On the other hand, they cannot go to other countries as they do not have passports.

The protesters are holding a public sit-in program demanding the return of passports along with Italian visas on an urgent basis at 10am. 

Around 11am, a section had also taken steps to surround the Italian Embassy, but this did not take place.

"The protest began at 10am, and it's still going on," said Tohidul Islam, officer-in-charge of Gulshan police station.

"More than five hundred people have gathered since early morning to collect their passports with visas from the Italian Embassy. Adequate police personnel have been deployed in the area," he added.

The Business Standard is attempting to reach the Italian Embassy for comments.

In response to the protest, the Embassy of Italy issued a press release saying a few representatives of the applicants were received in the embassy by the Deputy Head of Mission, to whom they presented some requests.

"During the meeting, the embassy provided legal, technical and logistic explanations for the existing delays in the processing of working visas to Italy. Applicants were warned not to pay or trust any mediator or intermediary, who are the main cause for the current delays," read the release. 

The embassy release also said applicants were warned not to present forged or false documents. Corruption, as well as the production of false or forged documents or statements, are serious crimes under both the Italian and Bangladeshi laws, which the Italian Embassy is committed to contrast together with the concerned Bangladeshi authorities. 

"Over these regrettable practices, thorough investigations are in due course also in Italy," it read.

The Embassy assured of its commitment to increasing the output of processed applications and presented some initiatives undertaken to that end with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rome, including the creation of a dedicated Task Force. 

The embassy reassured the applicants that their "Nulla Osta" will not expire once they have lodged the application or requested an appointment to do so.

"During the meeting, the Embassy also clarified the role of VFS Global. It is the only embassy's official authorised agency contracted by the Italian government with the only purpose to collect visa and legalisation applications for Italy and to return passports to the respective applicants. The embassy receives tens of thousands of applications per year and would not be able to manage them without the help of such an organisation, as it happens for several other foreign missions in Dhaka and in other parts of the world," read the embassy release.  

VFS Global acts on behalf and under strict instructions of the Italian Embassy, without taking part in any decision concerning the approval or rejection of a visa or its timing, nor on the appointment schedule to file the visa applications. 

"The appointinents are given by the Embassy after appropriate check and controls on the data filed by the applicants, with no involvement of VFS Global or its staff," the release read. 

During the meeting, the Embassy recalled that, by Italian regulations, applicants can withdraw their passports at any moment provided that they renounce the application. For visa applications filed after May 2024, thanks to a special waiver released by the Headquarters, applicants do not need to leave their passports anymore along with their visa applications. The passport can be presented at a later stage if needed, read the embassy press release. 

The Embassy highlighted that the issuance of visas falls under the exclusive competence of the issuing State. Therefore, all decisions concerning the release or denials of Italian working visas to Bangladeshi citizens, as well as their timing, procedure, controls and deadlines, are exclusively regulated by Italian Law. 

"Grievances and appeals against the Embassy's decisions can be presented to the proper authorities in Italy, pursuant to the applicable Italian laws and regulations," it said in the release. 

The Embassy also wished to recall that it processed almost 40,000 visa applications in 2023, the highest number ever. A similar number is expected in 2024. Many legalisations and consular services are also provided by the Embassy to Bangladeshi citizens living in Italy. 

"This visa and consular activities contribute importantly to the success of the Bangladeshi community residing in Italy, which sends the remarkable amount of 1.2 billion Euros per year to Bangladesh," it added. 

The release also mentioned that several thousands of irregular Bangladeshi migrants attempt to reach Italy every month. 

"Bangladeshis are the first nationality trying to cross illegally the Mediterranean towards the Italian shores, putting their own lives at serious risk. Italy and the EU are committed to stop exploitation and illegal trafficking of human beings. We invite all Bangladeshi citizens not to rely on human traffickers to reach Italy," read the release.  

"The crime of illegal immigration is a serious crime and involves the repatriation of the migrant and a ban on re-entry throughout the territory of the European Union from 3 to 5 years. Illegal migrants are not allowed to work in Italy in any case," the embassy release read.