'Settlement with Bangladeshi boy': lecturer shares his experience with Dhaka immigration

• Priyanka Basu, a lecturer at King's College London, shared her recent experience with immigration officials in Dhaka

People are faced with a dynamic range of questions when going through the immigration process and sometimes immigration officials ask unrelated questions that make no sense. Priyanka Basu, a lecturer at King's College London, shared a recent experience with immigration officials in Dhaka, where she was advised to find a Bangladeshi groom to marry.

After taking all the necessary details, the immigration officer suggested Basu to settle in Dhaka with a Bangladeshi boy and also noted down his contact details to inform about a suitable match for her.

“Immigration officer at Dhaka airport after inquiring about me, my parents, my marital status and profession has advised me to find a Bangladeshi boy, marry and 'settle' in Dhaka. He also noted down my local phone number. And said he will be in touch if a 'suitable match' comes along!" tweeted Priyanka Basu.

The immigration officer at Dhaka airport after inquiring about me, my parents, my marital status and profession has advised me to find a Bangladeshi boy, marry and 'settle' in Dhaka. He also noted down my local phone number. And said he'll be in touch if a 'suitable match' comes along!

— Priyanka Basu (@DrPriyankaBasu) January 5, 2023

Priyanka Basu, who is also a Fellow and Council Member of the Royal Asiatic Society, shared her experience with immigration officials and received mixed reactions from Twitter users. Most seemed amazed by the experience while some even shared their experiences on immigration.

“Maybe, they have opened a http://shaadi.com counter at Dhaka airport and you have mistaken their counselors for immigration officers. I can't find any other worldly logical explanation," said a user in the comments section.

“Welcome to Dhaka. From personal experience, I can tell you that such incidents happen more often than you might think. Of course, it's not okay," said another.

A user also shared his email ID with Priyanka and asked her to share more details about the incident so that he can bring it to the notice of senior immigration officials.

"I went to Dhaka and the immigration officer at the VOA desk could not understand that I am a house husband. He kept asking what line of business I am in and whether I want to start doing business with a local company. I think That we have to fit into culturally acceptable categories," said a user sharing an experience from Dhaka Immigration.