Bangladeshis will get dual citizenship facility in 44 more countries. Dual citizenship facility will be granted to Bangladeshis who have citizenship of different countries.
The cabinet has approved a proposal to issue SRO (Statutory Regulatory Order) to provide dual citizenship facility to Bangladeshis who have citizenship of different countries by adding these countries.
This approval was given in the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday (February 27). The meeting was held at the Prime Minister's office.
Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain disclosed this information to reporters at a press briefing at the Secretariat after the meeting.
Earlier, Bangladeshis had dual citizenship in 57 countries. With the addition of 44 new countries, Bangladeshi citizens of 101 countries will get dual citizenship benefits, said the Cabinet Secretary.
He said, if a citizen of Bangladesh accepts the citizenship of any foreign country, then he can continue to enjoy the citizenship of Bangladesh. It is confirmed through the SRO which country it will be applicable to.
Earlier there were 57 countries including in Europe, America, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea.
The Cabinet Secretary said, currently it is observed that the citizens of Bangladesh have gone to many other countries of the world. They want to continue enjoying the citizenship of Bangladesh. Taking that into consideration, 44 more countries have been included.
Now in these 101 countries Bangladeshi citizens can take dual citizenship if they want. Out of the new 44 countries, 19 are from the African continent.
These include Egypt, South Africa, Kenya, Algeria, Sudan, Morocco, Ghana, Rwanda, Burundi, Tunisia, Sierra Leone, Libya, Congo, Liberia, Central African Republic, Eritrea, Gambia, Botswana and Mauritius. The 12 countries of the South American continent include Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, Suriname, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Uruguay and Guyana. The 12 countries in the Caribbean region include - Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Bahamas, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominica, Saint Lucia, Barbados, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Fiji.