A total of 139 more undocumented Bangladeshi migrants, who were in detention centres in Benghazi city of Libya, returned home in the early hours of Thursday (February 1).

A chartered flight of Buraq Air carrying them landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka around 4:15am, the foreign ministry said in a press release.

The Bangladeshis were brought back home thanks to the all-out efforts of the Bangladesh embassy in Tripoli and the cooperation of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

With the fresh migrants, a total of 1,245 Bangladeshis have returned home from Libya since July 2023.

Upon arrival at the Dhaka airport on Thursday, the destitute repatriated Bangladesh nationals were welcomed by the officials of the foreign ministry and the IOM. The IOM also provided them with Tk6,000 and some food items.

Foreign ministry Director (Welfare) Mostofa Jamil Khan inquired about the returnees.

He advised them to share the horrific experiences they had while staying in Libya with neighbours and relatives at home.

Besides, Mostofa also requested them to make other individuals aware of refraining from going abroad illegally.

Bangladesh Embassy, foreign ministry, and IOM are working relentlessly to repatriate the Bangladeshis who have been detained in Libya’s detention centres, the release added.

BDST: 1956 HRS, FEB 01, 2024
MSK