175 more Bangladeshis return home from Libya

Another 175 Bangladeshi nationals returned home from Libya on Thursday.

They arrived in Dhaka at 8:00 AM on a chartered flight operated by Burak Air, according to Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The repatriation was jointly coordinated by Bangladesh Embassy in Libya, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment and International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Officials said the returnees had been staying in Libya without valid documentation. Most had travelled there intending to migrate irregularly to Europe through human traffickers.

During their stay, many reportedly faced abduction, abuse and other forms of exploitation.

Representatives from the foreign ministry and IOM received the returnees at the airport and encouraged them to share their experiences to help raise public awareness about the risks of irregular migration.

The IOM provided each returnee with travel allowances, food assistance, basic medical support and temporary shelter upon arrival.

SH