Immigration
Bangladesh | Civil unrest leads to immigration processing delays
Summary
Recent civil unrest in Bangladesh has led to a delay in processing immigration applications. While government offices that had been closed are now reopening, immigration officers are facing backlogs that are expected to persist for the short- and mid-term. Employers are advised to take the political situation into account in respect of their employee mobility policy as well as possible delays in ongoing procedures.
The detail
Since July there have been demonstrations and violent clashes between anti-government protestors and police across Bangladesh. This has led to government office closures as civilians were advised not to travel and to stay indoors. It is expected that this will lead to immigration procedures and applications being on hold or delayed.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stepped down on 5 August and the parliament has been dissolved, leading to President Mohammed Shahabuddin calling for fresh elections. The President has also called for protestors who were arrested to be released. Initial reports show that this is leading to the situation stabilizing, although it remains volatile at the time of writing.
Suggested action
Vialto Partners is monitoring the situation closely. It is advisable for companies with global workforces in impacted areas to ensure they are aware of their population (including current location, all dependants in location with the employee, nationality and any other visas held) and ensure lines of communication with the employees are open.
We also advise companies to take possible delays into account with current pending applications or any submissions in the short- to mid-term.
Vialto Partners’ crisis management team are monitoring this closely and will provide further updates as they are made available. Our crisis team provides 24/7 crisis support, and advice on immediate and safe routes of travel from strategic advice on mid-to-long term immigration to wider mobility considerations for displaced global workforces.
Contact us
For a deeper discussion on the above, please reach out to your Vialto Partners point of contact, or alternatively:
Sharan Kundi
Partner, Global Immigration Leader
Hugo Vijge
Director
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