Another group of 167 Bangladeshi nationals, who had been detained in Libya for attempting to migrate irregularly, have returned home.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed in a statement on Friday that the migrants were repatriated on Thursday around 5am via a chartered flight operated by Burak Air.
With the assistance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Bangladesh Embassy in Tripoli, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a total of 167 irregular migrants —16 who voluntarily returned from Benghazi and nearby areas, and 151 from the Ganfuda Detention Centre — have been brought back to Bangladesh.
Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, and the IOM welcomed them at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
Most of the returnees had illegally entered Libya via the sea route, lured and assisted by human traffickers, with the intention of reaching Europe.
Many of them were victims of abduction and torture at various times in Libya.
Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged everyone to remain vigilant and to avoid undertaking such dangerous and illegal journeys to Libya in the future.
The IOM provided each returnee with Tk6,000 in cash, food supplies, medical services, and temporary shelter, if needed.
To ensure the safe return of Bangladeshi nationals detained in various detention centers in Libya, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, the Bangladesh Embassy in Tripoli, and the International Organization for Migration are working tirelessly.
