171 more Bangladeshis repatriated from Libya

A total of 171 Bangladeshi nationals detained at the Ganfuda Detention Centre in Benghazi, Libya, were repatriated to Bangladesh early Thursday.

They arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 6:22am on a Buraq Air flight under a voluntary repatriation programme coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Bangladesh Embassy in Libya, the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, the Libyan government, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said a press release.

According to the foreign ministry, most of the returnees had entered Libya illegally with the help of human traffickers while attempting to reach Europe by sea. Many of them reportedly fell victim to abduction and abuse during their stay in Libya.

Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, relevant government agencies, and the IOM received the returnees at the airport. The ministry urged them to share their experiences to help raise public awareness about the dangers of irregular migration and human trafficking.

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The IOM provided each returnee with travel assistance, food, basic medical care, and temporary accommodation where necessary.

The foreign ministry along with the Bangladesh Embassy in Libya, the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, and the IOM, continue to work for the safe repatriation of Bangladeshi nationals detained at various detention centres across Libya.