174 Bangladeshi Nationals Return From Libya

Bangla Press Desk:  A total of 174 Bangladeshi nationals detained for a prolonged period at detention centres in Libya have returned home with the initiative of the Bangladesh Embassy and assistance from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

They were safely and humanely repatriated from the Ganfuda Detention Centre in Benghazi and arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 6am on Tuesday (18 August) aboard Libya’s Buraq Air flight UZ-222.Among those repatriated were three women, one child and 15 people suffering from illnesses.

According to officials, the Bangladeshis had attempted to travel to Europe through irregular routes across the Mediterranean in search of better lives. They were rescued or detained during operations at sea and subsequently spent a long period in detention at the Ganfuda centre under harsh conditions.

The Bangladesh Embassy said it had been regularly coordinating with the Libyan authorities and the IOM to ensure the safe repatriation of Bangladeshi nationals detained in the country.

As part of the ongoing efforts, the latest group of 174 Bangladeshis was brought home following approval from the local administration and with comprehensive assistance from the IOM.

The embassy said regular interviews, identity verification and repatriation procedures were being carried out for Bangladeshis detained at the Ganfuda centre in Benghazi and the Tajoura Detention Centre in Tripoli.Efforts are continuing to repatriate the remaining Bangladeshis currently held at the centres in phases, it added.

The Bangladesh Embassy urged citizens not to fall prey to inducements offered by brokers and human traffickers and to use legal and safe migration channels.

It also stressed the importance of following government-approved and lawful procedures when seeking employment or migrating abroad.