A report issued by the Italian news agency Nova has revealed a new route for irregular migration, where Bangladeshi migrants reach Europe through formal agreements with Libya.
The report indicated that the Central Mediterranean route witnessed the highest levels of irregular migration activity during the past January and February, with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) recording the passage of approximately 7,200 migrants.
Nova confirmed that Libya remains a major departure point for migrants, with smugglers increasingly relying on speedboats to transport migrants, and the cost of the journey ranging between 5,000 and 8,000 euros per person.
The report clarified that the majority of migrants crossing this route are of Bangladeshi nationality, benefiting from formal agreements between Libya and Bangladesh that allow them to enter Libya for work before attempting to cross to Europe.
The report pointed out that Libya tops the list of countries from which migrants embark across the Mediterranean towards the Italian coast, with 8,437 migrants arriving on Italian shores between January 14 and March 30, an increase of 6.4% compared to the same period last year.
The report added that 7,365 migrants departed from the Libyan coast until March 7, an increase of 4.7% compared to the same period last year, confirming Libya’s dominance over the Central Mediterranean routes.
In contrast, Tunisia recorded a significant decrease in the number of migrants departing from its coasts towards Italy, with only 82 migrants arriving, while 40 migrants arrived from Algeria and 130 migrants from Turkey.
