165 Bangladeshis repatriated from Libya

A total of 165 Bangladeshi nationals, who were detained and endured hardship in Libya while attempting to migrate illegally to Europe, have been repatriated to Bangladesh.

The returnees arrived in Dhaka around 5:30 am on a flight operated by Buraq Air on Friday, March 6.

According to officials, 143 of the returnees had been held at the Ganfouda Detention Centre in Benghazi, while the remaining 22 were rescued from nearby areas where they had been living in vulnerable conditions due to illness and financial distress.

Source said that most of the migrants travelled to Libya through irregular channels after being lured by human traffickers with promises of reaching Europe by sea. Many of them reportedly fell victim to abduction, abuse, and exploitation while in the North African country.

The repatriation was arranged through joint efforts by the Bangladesh Embassy in Libya, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, with assistance from the Libyan authorities and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

JPI/MHK