143 Bangladeshi migrants return home from Libya, Tunisia
As part of the assistance, IOM provided each returnee from Tunisia with Tk5,450 and those from Libya with Tk6,000, along with food items, primary medical care, and temporary shelter as needed
A hundred and forty-three stranded Bangladeshi nationals have been repatriated from Benghazi, Libya, and nearby regions this morning (13 November) by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Bangladesh Embassy in Libya, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
They arrived in Dhaka on a chartered flight by Buraq Air (UZ 0222) at 6:15am, as per a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Earlier in the day, another 18 Bangladeshis, stranded in Tunisia, arrived home on a Turkish Airlines flight (TK 712) at 5:25am.
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Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and IOM were present at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to receive the returnees.
According to officials, most of the repatriated Bangladeshis had initially travelled to Libya with the intention of reaching Europe via perilous sea routes, often lured by human traffickers.
Many of them had suffered kidnapping and abuse in Libya, according to the officials.
"We urge everyone to be aware of the dangers of attempting illegal migration through such treacherous routes," said a Foreign Ministry official.
As part of the assistance, IOM provided each returnee from Tunisia with Tk5,450 and those from Libya with Tk6,000, along with food items, primary medical care, and temporary shelter as needed.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Bangladesh Embassy in Libya, and IOM have been working tirelessly to ensure the safe return of Bangladeshi nationals held in various detention centres in Libya, the statement added.
