Stranded Bangladeshis in Nepal safe, will return home once situation calms: Touhid

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain has confirmed that all Bangladeshis currently stranded in Nepal, including members of the national football team, are safe, and will return home once the volatile political situation in the country stabilises.

Speaking to journalists at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday (September 10), Touhid Hossain provided a reassuring update on the welfare of Bangladeshi citizens caught in the midst of widespread anti-government protests that recently led to the fall of Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

"One positive development is that when protesters went to the hotel searching for their own political leaders, they found our national football team staying there," Touhid said. "But instead of causing any trouble, they respectfully acknowledged the players and left. They showed no hostility toward us. So, I don’t foresee any immediate danger or crisis for our people."

The national football team had traveled to Kathmandu for a scheduled international friendly, but the match was abruptly canceled as protests engulfed the capital, Kathmandu, following the government’s controversial ban on social media platforms. The unrest escalated rapidly, culminating in the resignation of Oli and the storming of key government buildings.

Despite the chaos, the adviser emphasised that the team and other stranded Bangladeshis are unharmed. The Bangladesh Embassy in Kathmandu remains in constant communication with them and is coordinating closely with local authorities and airlines for their safe repatriation.

"It will take some time to bring everyone back safely," Touhid Hossain noted. "Our priority is ensuring their security, not rushing an evacuation. We have nothing else to do for now except wait for the situation to calm down."

He added that the Ministry is monitoring developments in real time and is prepared to act swiftly once conditions allow for safe travel.

The advisor also praised the conduct of the Nepali protesters, highlighting the mutual respect shown toward Bangladeshi citizens during a time of national upheaval. "It speaks volumes about the people-to-people bond between our two nations," he said.