Five Bangladeshi citizens have lost their lives in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, while 186 nationals were repatriated from Iran.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam confirmed these developments during the question-answer session of the National Parliament on Monday afternoon.
The minister also stated that the government is actively working to repatriate Bangladeshi nationals from conflict zones. Of the five deceased, the bodies of two have already been returned to Bangladesh, while efforts continue to bring back the remaining three.
Highlighting recent repatriation efforts, she said 186 Bangladeshis were safely flown back from Iran to Dhaka on a chartered flight.
“The situation in the Middle East is extremely complicated. Our citizens themselves cannot predict where or when conflict might occur. We have managed to safely bring back 186 Bangladeshi nationals from Tehran on a chartered flight,” she noted.
Shama Obaed emphasized that ensuring the safety of Bangladeshis abroad remains a top government priority.
Addressing concerns over the domestic fuel supply, she reassured lawmakers that Bangladesh currently faces no fuel shortage. “The Prime Minister has met with us multiple times to ensure that we can secure energy supplies not only from the Middle East but also from other sources. The Ministries of Energy, Foreign Affairs, and other relevant departments are actively working on this,” she said.
She expressed optimism that ongoing efforts to import fuel from countries outside the Middle East would soon yield significant results.
