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Our Dignity Drowning in the Mediterranean
Libya emerges as deadly route for Bangladeshi migrants dreaming of Europe
Europe’s glamorous lifestyle, economic prosperity and the promise of a better future have long been a golden dream for thousands of Bangladeshi youths. But that dream is increasingly turning into a deadly trap. Lured by international trafficking networks and local brokers, hundreds of Bangladeshi youths are losing their lives every year in the turbulent waters of the Mediterranean Sea. As they lose their lives, they are also dragging the dignity of our country down with them. Families are being pushed into financial ruin, while the futures of countless promising young people are being destroyed.
North African country Libya has emerged as one of the most dangerous routes in this deadly journey of irregular migration. The crisis has become so acute that Bangladeshis now rank among the largest groups attempting to enter Europe irregularly by crossing the Mediterranean Sea. According to data from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex and BRAC, Bangladeshis have also emerged as the leading nationality attempting to reach Greece by sea in 2026.
A large number of Bangladeshi youths trafficked from Libya to Europe begin their journey from Dhaka on visit or tourist visas, travelling through transit destinations such as Egypt, Dubai or Türkiye. From there, they are taken to Libya, the war-torn North African country that has become a major base for international trafficking networks. Once they reach Libya, the migrants face an ordeal of unimaginable hardship. They are held hostage in trafficking camps and subjected to brutal torture.
According to BRAC data, 75% of young Bangladeshis arriving in Libya fail to find work, while 93% are detained in captivity and 79% face direct physical abuse. Traffickers reportedly demand ransoms of Tk25 to Tk30 lakh from the families of those held hostage. After being tortured, the migrants are crammed into boats carrying plastic goods and timber and sent across the perilous Mediterranean Sea.
A heartbreaking incident occurred in March 2026 when at least 18 Bangladeshis died after their boat lost its way while travelling from Libya’s Tobruk coast towards Greece across the Mediterranean. They reportedly died from a lack of food and drinking water.
Combined data from Frontex and BRAC’s Migration Programme paints a grim picture of irregular migration through the Central Mediterranean route. From 2009 to June 2026, nearly 110,000 Bangladeshis reportedly entered Europe irregularly using the Libya-Mediterranean route. According to Frontex figures, 20,259 Bangladeshis entered Europe irregularly by crossing the Mediterranean in 2025 alone.
Data from the International Organization for Migration, the UN Refugee Agency and BRAC’s Migration Programme show that more than 1,500 to 2,000 Bangladeshis have died or gone missing over the past decade (from 2014 to mid-2026), while attempting to cross dangerous Mediterranean and other sea-based migration routes. The actual number is believed to be considerably higher, as there are often no records of people who drown at sea or die in remote desert areas.
The irregular migrants take dangerous sea routes mainly because they are desperate for higher incomes and a more secure future. Many are lured by traffickers and brokers who promise safe passage and jobs in Europe. For those who cannot obtain legal visas or afford regular migration routes, the Mediterranean becomes an alternative, despite the risk of drowning, detention, torture and exploitation.
In the case of Bangladeshi migrants, poverty, unemployment, family pressure, debt, limited opportunities at home and misinformation spread by brokers are among the key factors driving them towards these perilous journeys. Once in Libya, many are trapped by trafficking networks, forced to pay huge ransoms and eventually pushed onto overcrowded, unseaworthy boats bound for Europe.
Irregular migration is increasingly tarnishing Bangladesh’s image abroad, as thousands of Bangladeshis risk their lives to reach Europe through dangerous and unlawful routes. As a result, many countries have tightened visa screening for Bangladeshi nationals, making international travel increasingly difficult. In terms of visa-free and visa-on-arrival access, Bangladesh also lags behind several countries, including Uganda, reflecting the growing challenges faced by Bangladeshi passport holders.
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