UK wants genuine visitors, students
UK Foreign Office Minister for South Asia Alistair Burt yesterday said migration is an important part of the bilateral relationship between Bangladesh and the UK.
“We are reducing net migration but people contacts are important and we welcome genuine visitors and students to the UK,” he said at a press briefing held at a hotel in the city.
Visiting Bangladesh for the first time, he said Bangladeshis have been playing a laudable role in the British society for a long time and their contributions are huge.
In recognition of the importance of bilateral commercial and business activities, a new business express programme will be launched on July 1, Burt said adding that companies with strong business links in the UK will be invited to join.
Concerning visas to the UK, the minister said application processing of visas for business purposes would be expedited.
Tourist visas for previous travellers to the UK would also be expedited, he added.
Settlement visa applications are now processed in four weeks and about 95 percent are successful while the non-settlement visa applications are done in three weeks, the minister said.
Burt said students applying in institutions in the UK should be aware of duplicity.
He said they are now allowing 60 days to students who fall victim to fraud institutions to enrol in a different institution.
Burt said the UK is strict on anyone abusing the visa system.
“We actively pursue and remove people who have no right to be in the UK. We prefer to do this through a voluntary return programme but will enforce removal if necessary,” he said.
British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Robert Gibson, Sylhet City Mayor Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran, ward commissioners -- Saleh Ahmed and Ruhena Khanam Mukta -- were present among others.
Earlier, Burt visited a community development project at the city's Beterbazar area.
UKaid, UN Habitat and Bangladesh government funded the project Urban Partnership for Poverty Reduction (UPPR).
The minister expressed his delight at the successful implementation of the programmes under the project by women of Beterbazar slum.
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