Australia cops probe Bangladeshi official's link to fake visa for Rohingya

A Bangladesh High Commission official stationed in Canberra has been alleged to be involved in issuing fake tourist visas to a group of Rohingyas living in Australia.

The alleged involvement of the official surfaced after several members of Australia's Rohingya community filed complaints with the country's police, reports Australian news outlet, SBS, today.

The Rohingyas obtained tourist visas which Bangladesh authorities suspect to be fake, the SBS report says.

At least 20 Rohingya refugees were detained at Dhaka airport last month after travelling from Australia to visit their families - some of whom are living in the Cox’s Bazar refugee camps.

They were told their documents were invalid and sent back to Australia.

Several members of the group said they received their visas after being told by other members of the community that an employee at the Bangladesh High Commission could assist with the issuing of the visas, according to the SBS report.

They were told to send their travel documents and payment of up to $350 to the employee’s home address.

Bangladesh High Commissioner Sufiur Rahman said they were waiting on a report from Bangladesh authorities and “cannot conclusively establish involvement of any of our staff.”

The Australian Federal Police is investigating.

The report names, Faruk, one of those who were granted visa but denied entry in Bangladesh. He has  been living in Australia as a Rohingya refugee for the past six years, but his mother along with his two children and his wife remain in a refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh.

On December 19, 2018, he travelled to Dhaka in order to visit his family, on what he thought was a tourist visa for Bangladesh, obtained in Australia.

However, he was detained by Bangladesh Immigration Police at Hazrat Shahajalal International Airport on suspicion of travelling on an invalid or fake visa.

The SBS has discovered that he is one of at least 20 Rohingyas living in Australia who were recently detained at Dhaka international airport and deported on suspicion of invalid visas.

Bangladesh Immigration Police interrogated Faruk and the other passengers and sent them back to Australia on 20th December 2018.  During questioning they told authorities that they had collected their visas from an employee at the Bangladesh High Commission in Canberra.

Source: thedailystar