30 Bangladeshis return home

Thirty Bangladeshis, who were rescued from the Mediterranean while trying to cross the sea illegally to reach Italy recently, returned home from Tunisia yesterday.

A Turkish Airways flight carrying them landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital around noon.

Fakhrul Alam, assistant director of the Expatriates' Welfare Desk set up by the government at the airport, confirmed their arrival. He said most of the returnees are young.

Brac Migration Programme, in a media release, said it provided immediate support such as food and water to the returnees with help from the expatriates' welfare desk.

Quoting some of the returnees, Brac Migration Programme head Shariful Hasan said the Bangladeshis went to Dubai on visit visa at the beginning of this year. Later, they reached Tunisia via Libya.

They were rescued from the Mediterranean while trying to reach Italy, Shariful said.