EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner will visit Bangladesh and Pakistan on Monday and Tuesday for talks on migration cooperation, border security, labour mobility and the fight against people-smuggling networks, according to News ORF.
Brunner’s office said the two countries are important partners in the EU’s Global Alliance to Combat Migrant Smuggling. The EU also works with both countries through the Eastern Corridor initiative, which seeks to prevent irregular migration along the entire migration route while expanding legal pathways.
“The number of people migrating illegally to Europe is falling significantly, but we must remain active and tackle migration at its roots,” Brunner said. He argued that this could only be achieved jointly with countries of origin and transit.
“We are Bangladesh’s most important trading partner, we are preparing new partnership agreements and we have programmes for legal labour migration,” he said.
Brunner added that partnership also required Bangladesh to play its part in preventing irregular migration and accepting the return of its nationals. Bangladeshi citizens were the most frequently registered nationality among irregular border crossings into the EU during the first half of 2026.
They also ranked third among nationalities seeking asylum in EU countries, with around 20,000 applications. Against this backdrop, the EU is seeking closer cooperation with Dhaka.
Last year, the European Commission acknowledged Bangladesh’s substantial and sustained progress and withdrew its proposal for visa measures against the country in November. Further improvements are now expected to be discussed.
In Bangladesh, Brunner is scheduled to meet Interior Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Ariful Haque Choudhury, and Foreign Minister Humaiun Kobir.
