Country policy and information note: internal relocation, Bangladesh, November 2023 (accessible)

Question 1

Executive summary

Accepted Answer

In general, a person fearing ‘rogue’ state actors and non-state actors is likely to be able to internally relocate to another area of Bangladesh, particularly larger urban areas and cities such as (but not limited to) Dhaka and Chittagong (Chattagram).

Where the person has a well-founded fear of persecution or serious harm from the state, they are unlikely to be able to relocate to escape that risk.

Bangladesh is a densely populated country with an estimated population of approximately 165 million. Dhaka and Chittagong (Chattogram) are the 2 most populous cities in Bangladesh, with populations of 23.21 million and 5.38 million respectively.

The law provides for freedom of movement, subject to certain restrictions in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), and in Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar and on the island of Bhasan Char in the Bay of Bengal.

There is a shortage of formal housing and the majority of housing is rented. A third of the population in Dhaka live in informal settlements. Social welfare programmes exist and public healthcare is free to all citizens.

The law provides for free and compulsory education for all children, although not all children attend school in practice. There are few limitations to obtaining informal employment and major cities, such as Dhaka and Chittagong, offer greater opportunities for employment than other parts of the country, particularly rural areas.

Question 2

Assessment

Accepted Answer

About the assessment

This section considers the evidence relevant to this note – that is information in the country information, refugee/human rights laws and policies, and applicable caselaw – and provides an assessment of whether, in general a person is reasonably able to relocate within Bangladesh.

Decision makers must, however, still consider all claims on an individual basis, taking into account each case’s specific facts.

1. Material facts, credibility and other checks/referrals

1.1 Credibility

1.1.1 For information on assessing credibility, see the instruction on Assessing Credibility and Refugee Status.

1.1.2 Decision makers must also check if there has been a previous application for a UK visa or another form of leave. Asylum applications matched to visas should be investigated prior to the asylum interview (see the Asylum Instruction on Visa Matches, Asylum Claims from UK Visa Applicants).

1.1.3 In cases where there are doubts surrounding a person’s claimed place of origin, decision makers should also consider language analysis testing, where available (see the Asylum Instruction on Language Analysis).

Official – sensitive: Not for disclosure – Start of section

The information on this page has been removed as it is restricted for internal Home Office use.

Official – sensitive: Not for disclosure – End of section

1.2 Exclusion

1.2.1 Decision makers must consider whether there are serious reasons for considering whether one (or more) of the exclusion clauses is applicable. Each case must be considered on its individual facts and merits.

1.2.2 If the person is excluded from the Refugee Convention, they will also be excluded from a grant of humanitarian protection (which has a wider range of exclusions than refugee status).

1.2.3 For guidance on exclusion and restricted leave, see the Asylum Instruction on Exclusion under Articles 1F and 33(2) of the Refugee Convention, Humanitarian Protection and the instruction on Restricted Leave.

Official – sensitive: Not for disclosure – Start of section

The information on this page has been removed as it is restricted for internal Home Office use.

Official – sensitive: Not for disclosure – End of section

2. Internal relocation

2.1.1 In general, a person fearing ‘rogue’ state actors and non-state actors is likely to be able to internally relocate to another area of Bangladesh, particularly larger urban areas and cities such as (but not limited to) Dhaka and Chittagong (Chattagram).

2.1.2 While the onus is on the person to establish a well-founded fear of persecution or real risk of serious harm, decision makers must demonstrate that internal relocation is reasonable (or not unduly harsh) having regard to the individual circumstances of the person.

2.1.3 Where the person has a well-founded fear of persecution or serious harm from the state, they are unlikely to be able to relocate to escape that risk.

2.1.4 See also Bangladesh Country Policy and Information Notes for information on internal relocation for discrete groups.

2.1.5 Bangladesh is a densely populated country with an estimated population of approximately 165 million. The country is divided into 8 administrative divisions. Dhaka and Chittagong (Chattogram) are the 2 most populous cities in Bangladesh, with populations of 23.21 million and 5.38 million respectively (see Access to housing and the Country Background Note: Bangladesh, available on request).

2.1.6 The law provides for freedom of movement, subject to certain restrictions in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) due to military checkpoints, and in the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar and on the island of Bhasan Char in the Bay of Bengal, affecting the movement of Rohingya refugees. Thousands of Bangladeshis exit and enter the country unmonitored for employment each year (see Freedom of movement).

2.1.7 There is a shortage of formal housing, which is said to be generally unaffordable for low or middle-income earners. The majority of housing is rented. A third of the population in Dhaka live in informal settlements. Tenant registration is mandatory and takes place at local police stations although rollout across the country appears limited as most information focuses on its use in Dhaka and to a lesser extent, Chittagong (see Access to housing and Tenant registration).

2.1.8 A number of government social welfare programmes exist, supported by non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Public healthcare is free to all citizens, though relatively high out of pocket expenses are common for treatment and pharmaceuticals (see Health and welfare).

2.1.9 The law provides for free and compulsory education for all children, although not all children attend school in practice. There are few limitations to obtaining informal employment and major cities, such as Dhaka and Chittagong, offer greater opportunities for employment than other parts of the country, particularly rural areas (see Access to employment).

2.1.10 For further guidance on considering internal relocation and factors to be taken into account see the Asylum Instruction on Assessing Credibility and Refugee Status.

Question 3

Country information

Accepted Answer

About the country information

This contains publicly available or disclosable country of origin information (COI) which has been gathered, collated and analysed in line with the research methodology. It provides the evidence base for the assessment.

The structure and content of this section follow a terms of reference which sets out the general and specific topics relevant to the scope of this note.

Decision makers must use relevant COI as the evidential basis for decisions.

section updated: 28 November 2023

3. Demographics

3.1.1 The total land area of Bangladesh is 130,170 sq km^{[footnote 1]}, and the population of Bangladesh was estimated to be 169.8 million in 2022^{[footnote 2]}. Bangladesh is smaller than the UK in terms of land area, but has a far larger population. As of mid-2021, the population of the UK was around 67 million^{[footnote 3]}, with a land area of 241,930 sq km^{[footnote 4]}.

3.1.2 For maps and demography, see the Country Background Note on Bangladesh (available on request), and the Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation (ACCORD) Bangladesh COI Compilation, dated August 2023^{[footnote 5]}. See also the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) Population and Housing Census 2022.

section updated: 15 September 2023

4. Freedom of movement

4.1 Legal rights

4.1.1 Article 36 of the Constitution guarantees the right to free movement and to reside in Bangladesh, ‘subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the public interest.’^{[footnote 6]}

4.2 In-country movement

4.2.1 Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) country information report on Bangladesh, dated November 2022, based on DFAT’s on-the-ground knowledge and discussions with a range of sources in Bangladesh, and taking account of other government and non-government sources^{[footnote 7]}, noted that ‘There is no legal impediment to internal movement within Bangladesh (except for the CHT [Chittagong Hill Tracts]), and Bangladeshis can and do relocate for a variety of reasons. Major cities, such as Dhaka and Chittagong, are seen as offering greater opportunities for employment.’^{[footnote 8]} The same source noted that ‘Indigenous People, like many people who live in remote areas, sometimes move to cities like Dhaka to find work or access services.’^{[footnote 9]} (see also Access to employment).

4.2.2 The US Department of State noted in its human rights report for 2022 (USSD HR Report 2022) that the rights of free movement were generally respected, except in: the CHT, and Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar and on the island of Bhasan Char in the Bay of Bengal^{[footnote 10]}. The report noted in regard to in-country movement that:

‘The government enforced restrictions on access to the CHT by foreigners and restricted movement of Rohingya refugees. The refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar were surrounded by barbed and concertina wire fencing with few pedestrian gates to allow the Rohingya to move among the camps or into the local community. Bhasan Char is an island with no regular links to the mainland. Authorities caught and detained many Rohingya who tried to leave Bhasan Char or camps in Cox’s Bazar and returned them to the registered camps.’^{[footnote 11]}

4.2.3 The DFAT report of November 2022 noted that ‘… the CHT is a heavily militarised area. Access to large sections of the CHT is restricted, and military checkpoints prevent free movement in the CHT even by local people. Sources report that many Indigenous People have left the CHT to live in other parts of the country but note that this can be difficult due to the costs involved and connection to communities and land.’^{[footnote 12]}

section updated: 15 September 2023

5. Property

5.1 Legal rights

5.1.1 Article 42 of the Constitution guarantees, subject to restrictions imposed by law, that ‘every citizen shall have the right to acquire, hold, transfer or otherwise dispose of property, and no property shall be compulsorily acquired, nationalised or requisitioned save by authority of law.’^{[footnote 13]}

5.2 Access to housing

5.2.1 A response by the Research Directorate of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) ‘prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints’, dated 5 January 2023, referred to access to housing in Dhaka and Chittagong (Chattogram), (the 2 most populous cities in Bangladesh – 23.21 million and 5.38 million respectively^{[footnote 14]}), noting that:

‘The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group and the “largest global development institution focused on the private sector in developing countries” (World Bank n.d.a), reports that housing in Bangladesh’s cities “is in short supply” as the urban population increased from 31 million in 2000 to 65 million in 2020 (World Bank 2022-07). An article published in News Hour, an English-language Bangladeshi news website (News Hour n.d.), by Ashekur Rahman, [then-]head of the UNDP’s urban development and poverty portfolio in Bangladesh, specifies that one out of three individuals living in Dhaka, the world’s most densely populated city, live in informal settlements (Rahman 2019-04-07).

‘The IFC notes that for low or middle-income earners, affordable housing loans are “very hard to access” (World Bank 2022-07). Rahman similarly reports that access to financing for housing is “limited” and accessible “only” to affluent groups (Rahman 2019-04-07). The same source writes that the lack of affordable housing is due to “skyrocketing property prices, a dysfunctional rental market, and limited public housing,” leading many to “pay exorbitant rents to live in slums with poor services and no tenure security” (Rahman 2019-04-07). Additionally, the source notes that the government supplies “only 7 percent of the annual housing demand” and the private sector is left to “fill in the giant gap” (Rahman 2019-04-07).’^{[footnote 15]}

5.2.2 A response by the IRB dated 13 January 2022 noted that:

‘According to the 2018 World Bank survey data, 10.9 percent of responding Dhaka dwellings were “owned,” 2.8 percent were “rent free,” and 86.2 percent were “rented” (World Bank 15 Sept. 2021). The data also indicates that the “[m]ean cost of rent (including electricity, water [and] gas)” was 3,346 Bangladeshi Taka (BDT) [£24^{[footnote 16]}], and that 98 percent of renters were “under an oral contract” (World Bank 15 Sept. 2021). The same data indicates that 95.4 percent of Dhaka households get “water from an improved source” and 99.7 percent had “electricity” (World Bank 15 Sept. 2021). The data also states that 89.4 percent of households were “sharing [a] kitchen” and 77.2 percent had “a separate kitchen,” while 87.4 percent of households had “access to improved toilets” and 90.3 percent “share[d a] toilet with other households” (World Bank 15 Sept. 2021). According to the data, 71.6 percent of Dhaka households had tin roofs and 26 percent had “[b]rick/cement” roofs (World Bank 15 Sept. 2021).’^{[footnote 17]}

5.2.3 The IRB response further noted that:

‘According to an April 2019 article on the website of the University of Toronto’s Asian Studies journal, Synergy, by Renee Xu, a contributor for the journal’s East Asia Section, urbanization in Dhaka has “largely been sustained by large-scale migration that has produced explosive rates of population growth” (Xu 15 Apr. 2019). The same source notes that a “massive inflow” of “many” “low- and middle-class workers” in Dhaka has contributed to a situation in which “the urban poor” have an “inability to obtain sufficient and affordable housing” in the city (Xu 15 Apr. 2019). Xu adds that Dhaka’s “infrastructure has been struggling to keep pace with this continual influx of people,” creating a “multitude of challenges” including the “provision of housing” for “disadvantaged” residents (Xu 15 Apr. 2019). The same article indicates that housing “contractors in the formal sector tend to exclusively serve upper and middle-income populations,” leaving “many” Dhaka residents unable to access affordable housing (Xu 15 Apr. 2019). The article indicates that “while many Dhaka residents have been able to find adequate living situations for themselves,” “more often than not, many find themselves residing in unsafe, uninhabitable settlements over which they have no legal title and constantly face the threat of ecological disaster, legal action or both” (Xu 15 Apr. 2019).’^{[footnote 18]}

5.2.4 The January 2022 IRB response noted in regard to Chittagong that:

‘According to the 2019 World Bank survey data, 35.4 percent of responding Chittagong dwellings were “owned,” 2.3 percent were “rent free,” and 62.3 percent were “rented” (World Bank 15 Sept. 2021). The data also indicates that the “[m]ean cost of rent (including electricity, water [and] gas)” was 2,847 BDT [£21^{[footnote 19]}], and that 91 percent of renters were “under an oral contract” (World Bank 15 Sept. 2021). The same data indicates that 97.1 percent of Chittagong households get “water from an improved source” and 98.9 percent had “electricity” (World Bank 15 Sept. 2021). According to the data, 40 percent of households were “sharing [a] kitchen” and 76.6 percent had “a separate kitchen,” while 84.1 percent of households had “access to improved toilets” and 45.2 percent “share[d a] toilet with other households” (World Bank 15 Sept. 2021). The data indicates that 73 percent of Chittagong households had tin roofs and 27 percent had “brick/cement” roofs (World Bank 15 Sept. 2021).’^{[footnote 20]}

5.2.5 A report by the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) to the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), dated 1 September 2023, noted that:

‘Bangladesh is implementing the Ashrayan project with its own funding to implement a unique approach towards inclusive development, also dubbed as the ‘Sheikh Hasina model’. This project is based on the motto that “Not a single person in Bangladesh will be left homeless”. Under this project, landless-homeless populations are receiving free housing along with access to other social security schemes, training, loan facilities and land for cultivation. A total of 555,432 families have been rehabilitated since its inception. In celebration of the 100th birthday anniversary and the legacy of the Father of the Nation, the government has provided 238,666 free sustainable housing to landless-homeless families since 2020 under Ashrayan-2.

‘Besides the Ashrayan project, other government initiatives include rehabilitating 10,000 slum dwellers, ensuring 100,000 affordable apartments and providing affordable housing loans to low-income housing.’^{[footnote 21]}

5.3 Tenant registration

5.3.1 The January 2022 IRB response reported on the Citizen Information Management System (CIMS) noting, in regard to data collection in Dhaka:

‘According to a January 2019 article in the Dhaka Tribune, the DMP [Dhaka Metropolitan Police] “initiated collecting information on landlords and tenants in late 2015 … to help police track down suspected criminals who may be hiding in the city” (Dhaka Tribune 30 Jan. 2019). The same article indicates that the DMP use a form which “asks landlords to provide details of tenant or the flat/house owner’s name, photo, permanent address, workplace address, religion, mobile phone number, national ID number, email address, passport number, and the names, ages, occupations and mobile phone numbers of the family members” (Dhaka Tribune 30 Jan. 2019). The same article states that the DMP now “has key information on eight million residents” of the city, “[a]ll” of which according to the DMP Commissioner is “stored in the DMP’s [CIMS] database” (Dhaka Tribune 30 Jan. 2019).’^{[footnote 22]}

5.3.2 An IRB response dated 3 February 2020 stated that ‘In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a junior associate from a Dhaka multi-disciplinary law firm, including tenant and landlord issues, stated that registration of tenants in the CIMS is mandatory (Junior Associate 8 Jan. 2020).’^{[footnote 23]}

5.3.3 According to frequently asked questions (FAQ) published on the CIMS website, it was mandatory for tenants and landlords to provide the required information to the DMP, either digitally via the CIMSDMP app, or by submitting a completed form to the police station (thana)^{[footnote 24]}.

5.3.4 The January 2022 IRB response noted that:

‘According to the description available on the official Google Play webpage for the CIMS DMP mobile application, the app “helps citizen to submit information digitally” that would otherwise be submitted using “hard copy forms” (Dhaka n.d.). The same source adds that the user “can update family member information and [h]ome employee information” (Dhaka n.d.). Sources report that from 15 to 21 June 2019, the DMP initiated “Citizen Information Collection Week (CICW)” (Dhaka Tribune 24 June 2019; BSS 15 June 2019). The Dhaka Tribune stated that the DMP used the drive to “[gather] landlord-tenant information” to “update information in its [CIMS]” (Dhaka Tribune 24 June 2019).’^{[footnote 25]}

5.3.5 A Citizen Information Collection Week by the DMP occurred over 2 weeks in February 2021, ‘with the aim of storing the information of all citizens living in the area through a mobile app’, according to the Business Insider Bangladesh^{[footnote 26]}.

5.3.6 The January 2022 IRB response stated, in regard to the DMP CIMS app:

‘Sources report that in 2019 the DMP launched a mobile application for CIMS data collection (Dhaka Tribune 9 Sept. 2019; Asjad 12 Feb. 2021). According to a September 2019 article in the Dhaka Tribune, “[p]olice will directly use the CIMS app to avail information about tenants”; the DMP Commissioner stated that DMP has ‘“collected the information of over 7.2 million citizens in CIMS”’ and ‘“[i]ndividuals can no longer rent out or rent a house without a lease information form”’ (Dhaka Tribune 9 Sept. 2019). A February 2021 opinion article published by the Financial Express, a daily English-language newspaper in Bangladesh, and written by columnist Tanim Asjad, reports that the DMP has “again” started “collecting the information of house owners and tenants living in Dhaka” for storage in its CIMS (Asjad 12 Feb. 2021). To date, the same source states, “around” 8 million people have been “recorded in the system,” and the “ongoing campaign” is designed to “update the database by including those who somehow were earlier excluded” (Asjad 12 Feb. 2021). The same article reports that the CIMS information collection “is still manual as the [mobile] app is not properly functional,” and “citizens are forced to visit police stations to present the form or paper physically” (Asjad 12 Feb. 2021).’^{[footnote 27]}

5.3.7 The IRB response stated that information on the CIMS data collection in Chittagong was limited. It noted that:

‘According to an October 2017 article by the Daily Star, an English-language newspaper in Bangladesh, in July 2016 CMP [Chittagong Metropolitan Police] “took the initiative” to “complete the citizens’ information database,” including by “entering [citizen] information into the [CIMS] online database” (The Daily Star 29 Oct. 2017). The same article reports that CMP “have been provided with 30 computers, scanners, and dedicated internet connections” to complete the entry of the information.’^{[footnote 28]}

5.3.8 Information on tenant registration in other areas of the country could not be found amongst the sources consulted by CPIT (see Bibliography).

section updated: 15 September 2023

6. Education and employment

6.1 Access to education

6.1.1 The USSD HR Report 2022 noted that:

‘The constitution makes basic primary education free and compulsory nationwide. The law divides the education system into basic education (early childhood development and grades one to eight), which is free and compulsory, and secondary education (grades nine to 12), which is free but not compulsory. The government reported that during this school year, 95.11 % of school-age children attended primary schools with gender parity.’^{[footnote 29]}

6.1.2 For more information on access to education, particularly in Dhaka and Chittagong, see the IRB Response to Information Request, January 2022.

6.2 Access to employment

6.2.1 The World Bank, citing data from the International Labour Organization (ILO), reported that the estimated overall unemployment rate for 2022 was 4.7%, compared to 5.1% in 2021^{[footnote 30]}. The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) labour force survey for 2022 (provisional findings) reported that the unemployment rate in 2022 was 3.6% (2.63 million people)^{[footnote 31]}. According to the same source, approximately 45% (32 million) of employees were in the agricultural sector, 17% (12 million) in industry and 38% (27 million) in the service sector^{[footnote 32]}. The 2016-17 labour force survey found that 85% of employees worked in the informal sector^{[footnote 33]}.

6.2.2 According to the DFAT report, ‘Major cities, such as Dhaka and Chittagong, are seen as offering greater opportunities for employment’ than other parts of the country^{[footnote 34]}. The same source noted ‘There are few limitations to obtaining informal employment, but conditions are poor. Informal work is usually physically demanding and often involves labouring on construction sites, breaking bricks, working in shipyards, transporting goods or pulling a rickshaw, selling goods, or working in services or hospitality.’^{[footnote 35]}

6.2.3 For more information on access to employment in Dhaka and Chittagong, see the IRB Response to Information Request, January 2022.

section updated: 15 September 2023

7. Health and welfare

7.1 Access to healthcare

7.1.1 For information on accessibility and availability of healthcare, see the Country Policy and Information Note on Bangladesh: Medical treatment and healthcare.

7.1.2 Also see the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) MedCOI Report: Provision of Healthcare in Bangladesh, June 2023.

7.2 Access to welfare

7.2.1 Article 15 of the Constitution provides ‘(d) the right to social security, that is to say, to public assistance in cases of undeserved want arising from unemployment, illness or disablement, or suffered by widows or orphans or in old age, or in other such cases.’^{[footnote 36]}

7.2.2 The DFAT report noted that:

‘Government welfare programs are limited. NGO programs assist the very poor with basic subsistence. Some government allowances, for example for the elderly, widows and people with disability, exist but monthly payments are very low – typically less than USD10 a month (about 33 cents a day, well below the international poverty line of USD1.90 a day).

‘Corruption and political patronage affect decisions about access to welfare. Processing errors that can result in non-payment can occur. Those without political capital, a powerful patron, or existing funds generally have worse access to social welfare. Programs run by NGOs are often more efficient and reliable, but the sheer scale of demand and limited funds mean that those programs are not available to everyone.’^{[footnote 37]}

7.2.3 The ILO noted in an undated article on social protection in Bangladesh that ‘Bangladesh has 114 disparate social protection programmes, primarily centred around food distribution and cash transfers. These programmes need to be better coordinated and integrated under a coherent institutional framework to ensure inclusive coverage of vulnerable populations to reduce social economic risks, food shortages and related hardships.’^{[footnote 38]}

section updated: 15 September 2023

8. Humanitarian situation

8.1 Overview

8.1.1 The European Commission’s European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations noted in July 2023 that

‘Due to its geographical location, Bangladesh is prone to seasonal flooding, landslides and cyclones. This makes it one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change.

‘Over the past decades, Bangladesh has developed emergency preparedness mechanisms which continue to save lives during major disasters. However, the frequency, unpredictability and severity of these disasters are likely to be adversely affected by global warming, population growth, and environmental degradation - all contributing to increasing humanitarian needs.’^{[footnote 39]}

8.1.2 In its Bangladesh COI Compilation dated August 2023, the Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation (ACCORD) provided an overview of the humanitarian response to several natural disasters during the period January 2021 to June 2023 as well as the landslides and floods of August 2023^{[footnote 40]}.

8.1.3 For flood updates, see the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) flood warning map. For updates on the general humanitarian situation, see the Situation Reports published on Relief Web.

section updated: 15 September 2023

9. Returnees

9.1 Treatment of returnees

9.1.1 Information on the treatment of returnees was limited amongst the sources consulted by CPIT (see Bibliography).

9.1.2 According to the DFAT report:

‘It is possible that a person who is involuntarily returned by a foreign government after travelling on a fraudulent document will be detained and questioned by police once back in Bangladesh. However, these are isolated and high-profile cases and DFAT is not aware of a substantial pattern of holders of fraudulent passports being detained or questioned in this way.

‘Bangladesh is a country with a very large diaspora and a strong outward migration culture, and tens of thousands of Bangladeshis exit and enter the country for employment each year. The government does not have the capacity or interest to check or monitor each of these people. If they have a particular political profile, their entry into Bangladesh could be noted… however, this is unlikely for the vast majority of returning Bangladeshis and DFAT is not aware of any instances of returnees being detained at the country’s borders for overseas political activities.’^{[footnote 41]}

Question 4

Research methodology

Accepted Answer

The country of origin information (COI) in this note has been carefully selected in accordance with the general principles of COI research as set out in the Common EU [European Union] Guidelines for Processing Country of Origin Information (COI), April 2008, and the Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation’s (ACCORD), Researching Country Origin Information – Training Manual, 2013. Namely, taking into account the COI’s relevance, reliability, accuracy, balance, currency, transparency and traceability.

All the COI included in the note was published or made publicly available on or before the ‘cut-off’ date(s). Any event taking place or report/article published after these date(s) is not included.

Sources and the information they provide are carefully considered before inclusion. Factors relevant to the assessment of the reliability of sources and information include:

the motivation, purpose, knowledge and experience of the source
how the information was obtained, including specific methodologies used
the currency and detail of information
whether the COI is consistent with and/or corroborated by other sources

Wherever possible, multiple sourcing is used and the COI compared and contrasted to ensure that it is accurate and balanced, and i provides a comprehensive and up-to-date picture of the issues relevant to this note at the time of publication.

The inclusion of a source is not, however, an endorsement of it or any view(s) expressed.

Each piece of information is referenced in a footnote.

Full details of all sources cited and consulted in compiling the note are listed alphabetically in the bibliography.

Question 5

Terms of Reference

Accepted Answer

A ‘Terms of Reference’ (ToR) is a broad outline of the issues relevant to the scope of this note and forms the basis for the country information section.

The Home Office uses some standardised ToR, depending on the subject, and these are then adapted depending on the country concerned.

For this particular CPIN, the following topics were identified prior to drafting as relevant and on which research was undertaken:

Freedom of movement
- legal status
- documentation required to move within the country
- legal and/or physical restrictions
Access to housing, education, employment, health and welfare
Treatment of returnees on and after arrival
Humanitarian situation
- areas affected by conflict/natural disasters, conditions these areas, including availability of food, water and shelter, internally displaced populations, government and non-government support and services provided to displaced populations

Question 6

Bibliography

Accepted Answer

Sources cited

Australian Government, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), ‘Country Information Report Bangladesh’, 30 November 2022. Last accessed: 4 September 2023

Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation (ACCORD), ‘Bangladesh COI Compilation’, August 2023. Last accessed: 15 September 2023

Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS),

‘Bangladesh Quarterly Labour Force Survey 2022: Provisional Report, 30 March 2023. Last accessed: 14 September 2023
‘Population and Housing Census 2022, Post Enumeration Check (PEC) Adjusted Population’, 18 April 2023. Last accessed: 23 October 2023
‘Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh 2022’, June 2023. Last accessed: 15 September 2023

Bdlaws, ‘Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh’, 1972. Last accessed: 4 September 2023

Business Insider Bangladesh, ‘DMP CIMS week to start from Monday via app’, 1 February 2021. Last accessed: 7 September 2023

CIA World Factbook,

‘Bangladesh’, 29 August 2023. Last accessed: 6 September 2023
‘United Kingdom’, 17 November 2023. Last accessed: 28 November 2023

Citizen Information Management System, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (CIMSDMP), ‘FAQ’, no date. Last accessed: 7 September 2023

European Commission, European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, ‘Bangladesh’, 7 July 2023. Last accessed: 7 September 2023

Government of Bangladesh (GoB), ‘National report submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolutions 5/1 and 16/21; Bangladesh’, 1 September 2023. Last accessed: 6 November 2023

Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB),

International Labour Organization (ILO), ‘Social Protection in Bangladesh’, no dated. Last accessed: 15 September 2023

Office for National Statistics (ONS), ‘Population estimates for the UK, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland’, 21 December 2022. Last accessed: 28 November 2023

US Department of State (USSD), ‘2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Bangladesh’, 20 March 2023. Last accessed: 4 September 2023

World Bank, ‘Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) – Bangladesh’, 25 April 2023. Last accessed: 14 September 2023

Sources consulted but not cited

Bangladesh Bureau of Education Information and Statistics, ‘Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics (BANBEIS)’, no date. . Last accessed: 15 September 2023

Chattagram Metropolitan Police Chattogram Metropolitan Police (cmp.gov.bd), no date. Last accessed: 7 September 2023

The Conversation, ‘City liveability rankings tell a biased story – our research in Dhaka explains why’, 14 July 2023. Last accessed: 15 September 2023

Department of Immigration and Passports, ‘Department of Immigration and Passports (dip.gov.bd)’, no date. Last accessed: 15 September 2023

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Dhaka Metropolitan Police (dmp.gov.bd), no date. Last accessed: 7 September 2023

The Financial Express, ‘Informality in the formal economy of Bangladesh’, 8 March 2019. Last accessed: 15 September 2023

Immigration Bangladesh Police, ‘Immigration, Bangladesh Police-:-Official web site’, no date. . Last accessed: 15 September 2023

Ministry of Education, ‘Ministry of Education’, no date. Last accessed: 15 September 2023

Ministry of Social Welfare, ‘Ministry of Social Welfare’, no date. Last accessed: 15 September 2023

Question 7

Version control and feedback

Accepted Answer

Clearance

Below is information on when this note was cleared:

version 1.0
valid from 28 November 2023

Official – sensitive: Not for disclosure – Start of section

The information on this page has been removed as it is restricted for internal Home Office use.

Official – sensitive: Not for disclosure – End of section

Changes from last version of this note

First version of discrete CPIN on internal relocation

Feedback to the Home Office

Our goal is to provide accurate, reliable and up-to-date COI and clear guidance. We welcome feedback on how to improve our products. If you would like to comment on this note, please email the Country Policy and Information Team.

Independent Advisory Group on Country Information

The Independent Advisory Group on Country Information (IAGCI) was set up in March 2009 by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration to support him in reviewing the efficiency, effectiveness and consistency of approach of COI produced by the Home Office.

The IAGCI welcomes feedback on the Home Office’s COI material. It is not the function of the IAGCI to endorse any Home Office material, procedures or policy. The IAGCI may be contacted at:

Independent Advisory Group on Country Information
Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration
1st Floor
Clive House
70 Petty France
London
SW1H 9EX

Email: chiefinspector@icibi.gov.uk

Information about the IAGCI’s work and a list of the documents which have been reviewed by the IAGCI can be found on the Independent Chief Inspector’s pages of the gov.uk website.

Cookies on GOV.UK

Executive summary

Assessment

About the assessment

1. Material facts, credibility and other checks/referrals

1.1 Credibility

1.2 Exclusion

2. Internal relocation

Country information

About the country information

3. Demographics

4. Freedom of movement

4.1 Legal rights

4.2 In-country movement

5. Property

5.1 Legal rights

5.2 Access to housing

5.3 Tenant registration

6. Education and employment

6.1 Access to education

6.2 Access to employment

7. Health and welfare

7.1 Access to healthcare

7.2 Access to welfare

8. Humanitarian situation

8.1 Overview

9. Returnees

9.1 Treatment of returnees

Research methodology

Terms of Reference

Bibliography

Sources cited

Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS),

CIA World Factbook,

Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB),

Sources consulted but not cited

Version control and feedback

Clearance

Changes from last version of this note

Feedback to the Home Office

Independent Advisory Group on Country Information

Is this page useful?

Help us improve GOV.UK

Help us improve GOV.UK