Dhaka: Bangladesh and the European Union (EU) on Tuesday finalised a draft agreement with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) finalised, on the return of Bangladeshi irregular migrants from the EU countries.

Visiting EU delegation and Bangladesh team had a lengthy meeting at the state guesthouse Meghna on the issue with an expectation that the agreement will soon be signed completing internal process in both sides, reports UNB.

Both sides hoped that with the signing of the agreement, most likely with next couple of months, the process of bringing back irregular migrants will be smooth, officials said.

The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union and is responsible for proposing legislations and enacting them, enforcing the treaties of European Union and managing day to day affairs of the EU.

Bangladesh will focus on proper verification of irregular migrants’ citizenship involving relevant ministries and passport office.

Secretary (Bilateral and Consular) at the Foreign Ministry here Kamrul Ahsan and Director and Deputy Managing Director, Asia and the Pacific, Paola Pampaloni led Bangladesh and the EU sides respectively in the meeting, a senior official said.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has recently suggested to ‘limit visas’ to Europe for travellers from Bangladesh if there was no action by Dhaka on irregular migrants.

In a letter to Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni recently, Juncker also promised to ‘pressure Bangladesh’ to take back its migrants, since the ‘vast majority of them’ are ineligible for international protection, reports international media.

Asked why the EU turned so ‘cruel’ suddenly, former European Union Ambassador to Bangladesh Pierre Mayaudon said, ‘I beg to differ. We’re not cruel at all. The EU is open to Bangladeshis.’

He said over the last two years the number of Bangladeshis who tried to enter Europe through illegal channels has dramatically increased putting their lives at risk.

‘Our intention is to save the lives of people. We’re looking at it on a very humanitarian aspect,’ the ambassador said.

He said every year the EU Member states issue an average 20,000 residence permits to Bangladeshis to stay and work there.

Bangladesh, earlier in principle, decided to take back its irregular migrants from Europe after proper verification of their nationality.

Expressing regret at ‘lack of progress’ in return of the illegal Bangladeshis at the eighth joint commission meeting, the EU issued an ultimatum to the Bangladesh government to end the negotiations on the Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) by end of July last.

On July 26 Bangladesh scrutinised the terms and conditions for the return of irregular migrants from the EU and agreed to bring back all its irregular nationals through a nationality verification process but sought adequate time.

The EU delegation went for extensive negotiation on the EU draft SOPs submitted to the Bangladeshi government in June 2016, and the amended drafts finalised by Bangladesh on July 26, 2017.