A 27-year-old Bangladeshi national who posted a video on social media urging fellow Bangladeshis to enter Greece illegally has been deported from Athens following the rejection of his third consecutive asylum application, according to reports. The administrative removal was completed by Greek authorities, marking what officials describe as a landmark enforcement action.

How the Deportation Unfolded

The man departed Athens on a charter flight on Tuesday, accompanied by 50 other individuals — compatriots and Pakistani nationals — who were also subject to removal orders. The deportation came after all available asylum procedures were exhausted, with each of his three successive applications for international protection having been rejected by Greek authorities.

According to reports citing Greek media outlet Proto Thema, the man was legally represented by an NGO active in migration matters, and two lawyers reportedly worked until the final moments to secure his continued stay in Greece, despite the successive rejections.

The Video That Triggered Action

In late June, the man posted a video from Nafplio, a coastal city in southern Greece, claiming that undocumented migrants would face no police checks or risk of deportation — even after residing in the country for decades without papers — and that work opportunities were readily available. The video surfaced and drew an immediate response from Greek authorities.

Greek Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris warned at the time that such posts spread false information about Greek migration policy and could be exploited by smuggling networks to lure illegal migrants into the European Union. Police identified the man and opened a case file against him. On 26 June, his residence permit was revoked and removal procedures were formally initiated.

What the Government Said

Minister Plevris described the case as 'a characteristic example of the policy implemented by the Ministry... aimed at preventing the stay in the country of foreigners in cases where the competent authorities have definitively ruled that the legal conditions are not met.' The Ministry of Migration and Asylum has framed the outcome as symbolic of the state's capacity to complete returns even when individuals file repeated applications and appeals to prolong their stay.

Greece's Deportation Numbers Are Rising

Official figures for the first half of 2026 show a significant uptick in enforcement activity. Total returns reached 2,638, up from 2,207 in the same period of 2025 — a rise of 20 per cent. More notably, forced deportations climbed sharply from 915 to 1,292, a 41 per cent increase, according to the report. This comes amid broader European pressure to tighten border enforcement and reduce irregular migration flows into the EU.

The case is likely to draw attention from both migration advocacy groups and governments in South Asia, as Greece signals a firmer stance on repeat asylum applications and social media activity that authorities say promotes illegal entry.