Thirty-six Bangladeshi nationals who spent between Tk 40 lakh and Tk 80 lakh each to reach the United States were deported and returned home empty-handed. They arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Tuesday at noon aboard a special US military flight as part of Washington’s anti-illegal immigration drive. The group included one woman, and their return was confirmed by a BRAC Migration Program press release.

According to BRAC, most of the deportees had initially traveled legally to Brazil with clearance from the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) before attempting to enter the US illegally through Mexico. Their asylum applications were later rejected after lengthy legal proceedings. BRAC’s Migration and Youth Platform Associate Director Shariful Hasan said the organization provided emergency support and transportation assistance upon their arrival.

Hasan questioned whether the government’s approval for sending workers to Brazil was being misused as a transit route to the US. He urged accountability for the agencies involved and called for greater caution before issuing new approvals, noting that 1,320 Bangladeshis went to Brazil in 2025, including 951 from Noakhali.