Family life

Bangladesh’s domestic legal and policy framework does not address family reunification for refugees or asylum seekers. There are no definitions, procedures, or administrative mechanisms to support family unity, nor provisions for identifying unaccompanied or separated children. Diverse family structures are not recognized, and access to travel documentation or visas for reunification is not available. Without a national asylum law or recognition of refugee status, derivative status and related legal remedies are inapplicable. Bangladesh’s non-accession to the 1951 Refugee Convention further limits protections, and no system exists for collecting data on family reunification cases. 

Bangladesh hosts over a million Rohingya refugees, along with non-Rohingya and urban refugees, under an ad hoc framework developed with international partners like UNHCR. Following the 2017 mass influx, the Government of Bangladesh and UNHCR jointly registered Rohingya refugees, emphasizing family unity through updated databases and recognition of diverse family structures. This is reflected in the 2023 Joint Verification SOPs for Rohingya refugees and separate SOPs for urban and non-Rohingya refugees. 

Rohingya families are mostly nuclear, and even married minors can form separate units—a practice mirrored in urban refugee settings. While Bangladesh allows family reunion visas for foreign workers, refugees are excluded due to lack of official recognition. However, UNHCR facilitates family reunification cases initiated by third countries, assisting with data verification and, in urban cases, issuing attestation certificates. 

Exit visas are granted to refugees with valid passports; those without receive temporary exit permits. UNHCR supports exit procedures by coordinating with Camp-in-Charge officials and relevant ministries. Entry visas for family reunification are not issued to refugees. Under the Children Act, 2013, separated or unaccompanied refugee children fall under the definition of “disadvantaged child,” enabling referrals to relevant authorities. In the absence of a legal framework, UNHCR and partners implement alternative care and family tracing mechanisms.