Bangladeshis in Iraq ‘may take shelter in Iran’
Bangladeshis facing trouble in Iraq due to the ongoing conflicts may travel to neighbouring Iran for a temporary shelter, the expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment minister said today.
“Bangladeshi migrants in Iraq are still safe as they are not target of any groups involved in intense fighting. If any emergency situation arises, we may set up makeshift tents near the Iranian border for our people,” said Khandker Mosharraf Hossain.
He said the Bangladesh embassy in Tehran has already been instructed to remain alert if the Bangladeshis need to enter Iran.
Mosharraf was speaking to reporters after a meeting of Migration Crisis Observation Committee comprising the ministries of expatriates’ welfare, foreign and home as well as International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The minister, however, said the Bangladeshis are safe as they are mainly working in Iraq’s southern region -- Baghdad, Basra, Karbala and Najaf.
Some of the regions -- Mosul, Tikrit and Baiji in the northern part of Iraq are still witnessing heavy fighting between the Sunni insurgents popularly known as Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) and Iraqi government forces.
The Sunni insurgents today seized another town in Iraq's western Anbar province, reports BBC. The rebels attacked the city of Mosul in early June and have since seized swathes of territory across Iraq. Now, they are trying to advance towards Baghdad, the capital of Iraq.
Mosharraf claimed that the Bangladesh embassy in Baghdad is keeping close communication with the migrants and taking necessary action.
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