Fighting in Libya: 30 stranded Bangladeshis return today
Some 30 Bangladeshis, who got stranded in the turbulent Libyan capital of Tripoli and its suburbs, are returning home today.
They flew for Dhaka yesterday morning in a Turkish Airlines flight and are scheduled to arrive in the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport early today via Istanbul, said ASM Ashraful Islam, labour counsellor of Bangladesh embassy in Libya.
Besides, 35 more were scheduled to fly yesterday evening and arrive in Dhaka tomorrow (Wednesday), he told The Daily Star yesterday.
Repatriation of 42 others will be arranged by this week, he said, adding that altogether 107 are being repatriated home this week, he said.
The situation turned worse after the Libyan National Army, led by Khalifa Haftar, started an offensive against the internationally recognised Government of National Accord in April.
Soon after, Bangladesh embassy in Libya had announced that those who were in risks due to the fighting should inform the embassy.
In response, some 300 were relocated to the safe areas in Tripoli. Of them, some 107, who had shown interest to return home are now being repatriated. Nearly 100 more have recently informed the embassy of their willingness to come home, Ashraful Islam said.
Around 800 Bangladeshi migrants, who were either stranded in the civil-war torn North African country or jailed or fell prey to human traffickers, were repatriated in 2018 and until June this year, Ashraful Islam said.
“We have asked the Bangladeshis in Libya not to make any sea voyage to Europe because it has become very risky,” he added.
Those in Libya and are willing to return home are also being provided assistance to return home, he added.
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