174 Bangladeshis return home from Libya

A total of 174 undocumented Bangladeshi nationals stranded in Libya returned home on Monday with full voluntary support facilitated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

They were repatriated from Tripoli through a joint initiative of the Bangladesh Embassy in Libya, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ministry of Bangladesh, and the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, in coordination with the Libyan government and the IOM.

According to sources at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, they arrived in Dhaka at 5:10am on a special chartered Buraq Air flight (UZ-0222).

Embassy and foreign ministry sources said that most of the returnees had entered Libya irregularly through various borders, reportedly with the assistance of human trafficking networks, in an attempt to reach Europe by sea.

Officials and embassy sources said several of the migrants were subjected to abduction and severe abuse by trafficking syndicates both before their sea journeys and during their stay in Libya.

Upon arrival, senior officials from the concerned ministries and the IOM welcomed the returnees. Authorities urged them to share their traumatic experiences publicly as part of nationwide awareness efforts against irregular migration.

As part of humanitarian assistance, the IOM provided each returnee with travel allowances to reach their home districts, emergency food supplies, primary healthcare support, and temporary accommodation if required.

Officials also confirmed that efforts are ongoing to repatriate other undocumented Bangladeshi nationals currently held in detention centres across Libya and parts of Africa.