Desperate journey to Europe: 8 Bangladeshis among those who drowned in the Mediterranean
The ill-fated journey began on 13 February, when a boat carrying individuals from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Egypt, and Syria set sail from a Libyan coastal area hoping to reach Europe
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) today revealed the identities of the eight Bangladeshis who died as their boat capsized while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea.
These individuals were attempting to migrate to Europe, having departed from Libya.
The victims, identified as Sajal, Nayan Biswas, Mamun Seikh, Kazi Sajeeb, Kaisar, Rifat, Russell, and Imrul Kayes Apon, hailed from the Madaripur and Gopalganj districts of Bangladesh.
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The first five victims originated from various villages within the Rajoir upazila of Madaripur, while the remaining were from Muksudpur upazila in Gopalganj.
The details were shared in a press release by MoFA, which aimed to shed light on the accident and its impact on the victims' communities.
The ill-fated journey began on 13 February, when a boat carrying individuals from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Egypt, and Syria set sail from a Libyan coastal area hoping to reach Europe.
The group comprised 27 Bangladeshis, 8 Pakistanis, 3 Egyptians, 5 Syrians. An Egyptian individual was navigating the boat.
However, the vessel capsized off the Tunisian coast in the early hours of 14 February.
Rescue operations later recovered the bodies of the eight Bangladeshis and one Pakistani. The bodies were subsequently transferred to local hospitals.
The foreign ministry's report further highlighted that seven of the Bangladeshi victims were travelling without passports, indicating the desperate measures taken by individuals in pursuit of better opportunities.
