Yemen evacuation: 337 Bangladeshis reach home

The 337 Bangladeshis, who were evacuated recently from strife-torn Yemen and brought to south Indian port city of Kochi by two ships yesterday, reached home early today.

Two special fights of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the Bangladeshis landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka around 4:30am and 5:15am.

On their arrival, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam received them at the airport, Nitendra Kumar Devnath, deputy secretary of the ministry, told The Daily Star.

A total of 136 Bangladeshi nationals, who are now in Djibouti after being evacuated from Hodeida of Yemen on 16 April by Indian Naval Ship (INS)-Sumitra, may return to Dhaka Tuesday evening by a special flight of Biman Bangladesh, said Bangladesh temporary mission in Djibouti.

The 337 Bangladeshi nationals, who returned home today, reached Kochi yesterday by two Indian passenger ships from Djibouti, an Indian Navy spokesman told our New Delhi correspondent.

They were given a rousing welcome by Naval and Cochi Port Trust officials in the presence of Naval band, he said.

Two warships of the Indian Navy escorted the ships -- MV Kavaratti and MV Corals -- carrying the Bangladeshis.

The 337 Bangladeshis reached Djibouti from Yemen on April 5 and departed from the African country on April 12.

Apart from the Bangladeshis, 65 Yemenis of Indian origin were in the two ships.

India had launched a massive air and sea evacuation operation late last month to bring back its nationals stranded in Yemen.

The country positively responded to Bangladesh's request to help it bring home the Bangladeshis stranded in the Middle Eastern country.

A total of 500 Bangladeshis have been relocated to the African country, Djibouti, from Yemen since April 3.

As India wrapped up its evacuation operation, Bangladesh plans to repatriate the remaining 136 Bangladeshis from Djibouti by a special Biman flight.

Earlier, 26 expatriates returned home from Yemen.