Bangladesh should be proud of expats in UK

This was stated by Keith Best, Chief Executive of Immigration Advisory Service (IAS) in UK while addressing an annual review meeting of IAS Sylhet office here on Friday.

He also formally inaugurated the new office of IAS at Zindabazar in the city.

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Bangladesh can feel proud for their contribution, said Keith, also a former MP.

IAS, a non-profit organisation, opened its office in Sylhet, the lone office outside Britain, in 2001. It is planning to open another office in Dhaka soon.

Sylhet Divisional Commissioner Abdul Hakim Mondal chaired the function, attended by IAS External Relations Officer Abu Musa Hasan, Area Manager for Overseas Offices Satbinder Bains and Newham Bengali Community Trust President Abdul Aziz Chowdhury.

Sylhet Press Club President Muktabis Noor, leading industrialist and Awami League leader Mahmud Samad Chowdhury, educationist Dr Kabir Chowdhury, Grameen Janakalyan Sangsad Presdient Jamil Chowdhury, businessman M Muhibur Rahman also attended the function. Mahbub Ahsan Chowdhury, Executive Officer of Sylhet IAS, presented a report on its performance. in Bangladesh.

Keith said IAS is doing a good job in Sylhet.

"We now see over 3000 people at our office in a year and more than 1000 of them are new clients. Around 60 per cent of those acting on our advice get visa because IAS has 34 years' experience in immigration work, he said.

The British government consults the IAS on immigration policy, Keith said.

Referring to his personal links with Bangladesh, Keith said, "I am part of Sylheti society since my first visit to Bangladesh in 1972. We want the bilateral ties between the two countries to grow". The IAS plans to open offices in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Ghana and Nigeria also.

Ninety-five percent of about five lakh Bangladeshis living in UK are from Sylhet.