Jumbangla Desk: Bangladeshis are renouncing their citizenship for various reasons. The rate of Bangladeshis giving up their citizenship to become citizens of other countries is increasing day by day. At the same time, the rate of taking dual citizenship while maintaining Bangladeshi citizenship is increasing. Observers believe that the rate of citizenship relinquishment is increasing mainly due to the country's socio-economic and political situation and concerns about the future.

According to the information of the Security Services Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs, 2 thousand 606 people have left the citizenship of Bangladesh from January 10, 2017 to November 6, 2024. 14 thousand 685 people have taken dual citizenship in these eight years.

119 people in 2017, 365 people in 2018, 356 people in 2019, 323 people in 2020, 165 people in 2021, 421 people in 2022, 548 people in 2023 and 309 people left the citizenship of Bangladesh till November 6, 2024. Germany, one of Europe's top economy and technology countries, has the highest rate of citizenship apart from Bangladesh citizenship. It is followed by Germany's neighbor Austria and East and Southeast Asian countries Singapore and Malaysia.

Home Ministry officials say information on relinquishing citizenship was lost after the ministry was split. As a result, how many Bangladeshis renounced their citizenship before 2017 is not in the information security service department. According to them, the number before 2017 was much less than now.

Germany is the top choice

In the last eight years, Bangladeshis have left the citizenship of Bangladesh and taken citizenship of more than 40 countries. In the last eight years, 1,281 Bangladeshis came from Germany, 392 from Austria, 180 from Singapore, 151 from India, 60 from Korea, 57 from Norway, 25 from the United Kingdom, 17 from Ukraine, 15 from Sri Lanka, 13 from Australia, South Korea and Iran; 11 Indonesians and 9 Bulgarians have taken citizenship. Apart from this, 4 people have taken the citizenship of Pakistan and Myanmar.

Dual citizenship 33 thousand

Since 1988, the government has started allowing Bangladeshi dual citizenship. So far 33 thousand 875 people have dual citizenship. In 1988, 227 people were granted dual citizenship. Data from the Department of Security Services shows that the number of people taking dual citizenship is gradually increasing. Looking at the data over several years, we find: 315 people in 1989, 286 people in 2000, 1 thousand 180 people in 2008, 1 thousand 699 people in 2014, 1 thousand 187 people in 2020, 1 thousand 786 people in 2022 and 2023. 4 thousand 133 Bangladeshis have taken dual citizenship.

During the tenure of the previous Awami League government, it is known that many corrupt people and the newly rich have smuggled money abroad as well as their family members have migrated abroad. Towards the end of that government, Bangladeshis were given the opportunity to take dual citizenship of more countries. On February 7, 2023, the cabinet allowed Bangladeshis to take dual citizenship of 44 more countries. Earlier citizens of 57 countries used to get this opportunity. Leaders of some top business groups themselves or their family members renounced their Bangladeshi citizenship and took citizenship of other countries or have been widely publicized in the media as having dual citizenship.

As a condition of obtaining a passport of any country, the citizenship of the previous country has to be renounced. After getting a passport of any country, if you want to take oath as a citizen, you have to renounce your previous citizenship. Officials said that the said Bangladeshis have given up their citizenship.

According to the current law, a Bangladeshi who does not want to hold dual citizenship of Bangladesh after receiving a passport (ie citizenship) of another country can easily get permanent residence by making a permanent investment of 75 thousand dollars in this country. An official of the Security Services Department said that even if a Bangladeshi renounces his citizenship, his next three generations will automatically retain his Bangladeshi citizenship.

Alimun Rajeev, deputy secretary of the security and immigration department of the security service department, told Ajker newspaper, "Bangladeshis can renounce their citizenship according to the law. Citizens of 101 countries get dual citizenship of Bangladesh.

452 foreigners got Bangladesh citizenship

In 1988, Bangladesh granted citizenship to the first 4 foreigners. 33 foreigners got citizenship in 1989. After that every year except 2003 and 2010 some foreigners have been given Bangladeshi citizenship. So far, a total of 452 foreign nationals have received the citizenship of Bangladesh. Most of them got citizenship through marriage. A number of people have also been granted citizenship due to long-term residence.

Socio-economic and political situation is the reason

Due to the country's socio-economic situation, constant political unrest, corruption, there has been an increase in the tendency of financially capable and highly skilled people to go abroad for a long period or permanently. Newspaper reports, various polls and social media posts show a tendency for the talented to stay after studying abroad and for the able-bodied to migrate abroad. Recent writings and researches published in newspapers have shown that due to climate change, weather extremes, food adulteration violence, education quality deterioration, etc. are also increasing the number of rich people leaving the country thinking about future generations. A portion of legal and illegal migrant workers also settle abroad.

The results of a research report titled 'Next Generation Bangladesh 2024', initiated by the British Council, were published on November 6. It said that 42 percent of the youth in Bangladesh are worried about unemployment and 55 percent of the youth are interested in leaving the country and going abroad.

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Shariful Islam Hasan, Head of Migration Program and Youth Initiative Program of top non-governmental organization BRAC, thinks that many people are leaving the country if they get a chance due to the lack of good governance in the country. He told today's newspaper, "No matter how many stories we tell about the development of Bangladesh, the reality is that people want to leave the country whenever they get a chance." A major reason for this is the lack of good governance. When someone sees that there is no freedom of expression, crossfire is disappearing, they leave the country thinking about the future of themselves or their children. No matter how much politicians or bureaucrats talk about the development of the country, many of them think that the country has no future. For this, send your children abroad, build your house and car abroad.'