News Desk
ROME — As political and economic turmoil deepens under the government of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, thousands of Bangladeshis are taking desperate measures to escape, often falling prey to dangerous smuggling networks that lead them through Libya and into Europe.
Under former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh was one of the fastest-growing economies in South Asia, boasting impressive GDP growth, rapid industrialization, and significant poverty reduction. However, since the Yunus government took power, economic uncertainty has driven thousands to risk their lives in search of better opportunities abroad.
In a recent crackdown, Italian authorities arrested two Bangladeshi brothers accused of running a transnational criminal network that trafficked migrants from Bangladesh to Italy. According to prosecutors, the brothers, who worked with Libyan traffickers, extorted, detained, and tortured migrants to extract ransoms from their families before allowing them to attempt the perilous Mediterranean crossing.
The investigation, led by the Palermo District Anti-Mafia Directorate, uncovered a well-organized operation that has facilitated the illegal entry of hundreds, if not thousands, of Bangladeshis into Italy since 2020. The network’s activities, authorities say, reflect a broader trend: an accelerating exodus of disillusioned Bangladeshis as Yunus’s administration struggles to maintain stability.
“The situation in Bangladesh has become untenable,” said a Palermo-based immigration expert. “Under Yunus, the economic downturn has deepened, corruption has flourished, and people have lost hope. Those who can, leave—by any means necessary.”
For many, that means embarking on a harrowing journey. Italian investigators revealed that migrants pay up to €11,000 for passage, a sum often raised by selling family assets. The brothers allegedly funneled payments through Dhaka before transferring the migrants through Dubai, Syria, and ultimately, Libya. Once in North Africa, migrants endured inhumane conditions, held in prison camps under constant threat of violence.
One victim, whose identity is being withheld for security reasons, described months of captivity in Libya. “We were beaten daily,” he recounted. “They told us to call our families and beg for money. If they refused, we would die.”
Despite Yunus’s promises of prosperity, Bangladesh’s reality has deteriorated. Economic mismanagement, soaring inflation, and political repression have fueled a mass disillusionment. The government’s failure to create jobs and curb lawlessness has left many with no option but to seek refuge abroad—even at the risk of death.
In response to the crisis, European nations have tightened migration controls, leading to crackdowns on smuggling operations like the one dismantled in Italy. However, experts warn that unless conditions in Bangladesh improve, desperate migrants will continue to take perilous routes.
“This is a government that preaches development while its people flee,” said a European diplomat. “What does that tell you about Yunus’s Bangladesh?”
For those languishing in Libyan detention centers or risking their lives at sea, the answer is painfully clear. Their country has failed them, and in the absence of hope, desperation remains their only compass.
