Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh Antonio Alessandro has sharply criticised the authenticity of public documents in the country, warning that widespread falsification could discourage foreign investors and harm the country’s reputation.
Speaking at a lecture titled “Strengthening Ties: A Forward Look Between Bangladesh and Italy” organised by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) in Dhaka on Monday, the envoy said foreign investors expect public documents to be genuine and reliable.
“When a foreign investor comes, he expects that certificates issued by Bangladeshi authorities are authentic. He shouldn’t have to worry whether they are fake,” the ambassador said.
“I know it’s easy to go to a notary and pay to get whatever document you need. This is extremely bad for your country. Foreign investors will not come,” he warned.
Alessandro said Italian offices often process Bangladeshi-issued documents such as marriage, birth, and divorce certificates — and “many of these are false.”
“Young women are sometimes made younger on paper to receive school allowances for longer periods,” he noted, adding, “There is too much complacency and indulgence. Many Bangladeshis think it’s okay to cheat. If this old system continues, foreign investment will not come.”
Illegal migrants are co-responsible
The ambassador also made strong remarks on irregular migration, saying those who attempt to enter Italy illegally are “co-responsible” for the crime of human trafficking.
“People call them victims, but they become victims later — when they suffer torture or risk their lives at sea. Initially, when they pay huge sums to traffickers, they are co-responsible for their fate,” he said.
He added that Italy plans to deport more undocumented Bangladeshis to send a strong deterrent message.
“So far, few have been sent back, but we are determined to do more. We want to discourage others from spending €15,000 (over Tk20 lakh) to buy a dangerous passage to Italy. With that money, one could start a business in Bangladesh,” he advised.
Passport ranking
Citing data, Alessandro said over 18,000 Bangladeshis arrived in Italy in 2025, mostly via the Libya route by boat, and applied for asylum.
“Bangladesh’s passport ranks very low globally — and I understand that’s disappointing. But if many Bangladeshis abuse asylum systems abroad, it affects that ranking,” he explained.
“To improve it, Bangladesh needs to rebuild international trust,” he added.
Italian PM’s visit
Ambassador Alessandro confirmed that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni plans to visit Bangladesh soon.
“She wanted to visit earlier, but due to developments in Europe, the trip was postponed. However, she remains committed to coming, and we are in touch with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to schedule the visit,” he said.
The ambassador said, “Italy supports Bangladesh’s prosperity, modernisation, and reform. We support Dr Yunus and his government, and we look forward to free and fair elections in February. We are confident Bangladesh will continue on its path of democratisation and progress.”
