US Deports Another Group of 39 Bangladeshi Nationals
The United States has returned 39 Bangladeshi nationals on a special military flight that landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport early Friday. The aircraft touched down around 5:30 am, marking the latest deportation under the Trump administration’s intensified immigration enforcement drive.
Upon arrival, the deportees received transportation and emergency support from BRAC through airport authorities. Of the 39 individuals, 26 are from Noakhali, while others hail from Comilla, Sylhet, Feni and Lakshmipur. One person each is from Chattogram, Gazipur, Dhaka, Munshiganj and Narsingdi.
According to BRAC’s Migration Programme, at least 34 of the returnees had initially travelled to Brazil with clearance from Bangladesh’s Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET). From there, they attempted to enter the United States irregularly via Mexico. Two others reportedly arrived in the U.S. directly, while three travelled from South Africa. All 39 were ultimately denied legal stay after immigration proceedings and were ordered to return to Bangladesh.
Shariful Hasan, Associate Director of BRAC’s Migration and Youth Platform, raised concerns about the recruitment process that enabled migrants to travel legally to Brazil but eventually pushed them into irregular routes toward the U.S. He questioned the lack of oversight by agencies involved, noting that many migrants spend up to 3.5 million taka only to return home empty-handed. He urged accountability for recruiters and greater caution before approving fresh labour migration to Brazil.
Sources at the airport and among the deportees said that unlike previous groups—some of whom returned in handcuffs or shackles—Friday’s returnees were not restrained during the flight. Since Donald Trump began his second term in office, the U.S. has accelerated deportations of undocumented immigrants, sending multiple groups back to Bangladesh in recent months.
Earlier, 42 Bangladeshis were deported on June 8 via a chartered flight. Between March 6 and April 21 this year, at least 34 more were returned on several flights. From early 2024 to August 2025, the number of Bangladeshis deported from the U.S. has exceeded 220.
Under U.S. immigration law, individuals without valid documentation can be removed following a court ruling or administrative order. When asylum claims are rejected, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency arranges their repatriation—often through chartered or military aircraft as part of an expedited process.
