Gangs giving false hope of asylum in Hong Kong
The government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has urged Bangladesh to take steps to halt the illegal entry of Bangladeshis into Hong Kong.
A four-member delegation of the Hong Kong immigration department, which came here on September 1, met senior officials of the foreign and home ministries and others concerned, expressing their "deep concern" over the gradual increase in the number illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
"I am here with a clear message to innocent Bangladeshis who are being misled by some syndicates in Hong Kong," said Ronald NW Fung, assistant director of the Hong Kong immigration department.
Urging the Bangladeshis not to undertake any illegal entry, he said, "We don't facilitate refugee status requests. Hong Kong is not a signatory to the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol."
Before leaving Dhaka, the delegation chief met journalists at the Chinese embassy yesterday morning and briefed about the delegation's two-day visit to Bangladesh and said that some syndicates were involved in luring people from different South Asian countries including Bangladesh into Hong Kong with a false hope of helping them get an asylum or refugee status.
"Don't believe those agents," he urged the Bangladeshis, warning them about the consequences of illegal entry.
Fung clarified that the illegal immigrants seeking non-refoulement under the Unified Screening Mechanism in Hong Kong are not to be treated as "asylum seeker" or "refugee."
"…in fact, the Hong Kong government has a long-established policy of not granting asylum to anyone and not determining or recognising anyone as a refugee," he added.
Fung further said there were 414 Bangladeshi illegal migrants intercepted by the immigration department and Hong Kong police in 2015, a 21 percent rise compared to the number in 2014.
The visitors are not allowed to take up an employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without a permission of the immigration director …, he informed.
"Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment," the assistant director said.
Fung added that as stipulated in section 38AA of the Hong Kong Immigration Ordinance, illegal migrants or people who are subject to a removal or deportation order are prohibited from taking up any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or joining any business.
The spread of illegal migrants is also causing an unpleasant questioning for genuine investors who might face stringent measures upon arrival at the airport, he said, adding that they are tightening the laws so the illegal migrants cannot jeopardise the prospects of genuine businessmen and entrepreneurs in Hong Kong.
Delegation members Lam King-fung, Lam Kai-wah and Angus WH Lai were also present at the briefing.
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