BD expats flee Libya amid conflict

Staff Reporter :

The ongoing internal conflicts in Libya are continuously forcing the expatriates including Bangladeshis to return home, which is ultimately putting pressure on remittance.
As part of sending back the stranded Bangladdeshis in Libya, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has planned to operate three special flights this month to repatriate them from Libya.

According to the Embassy of Bangladesh in Tripoli, IOM plans to operate a special flight from Misrata on March 12 and two flights from Tripoli on March 19 and 26 to facilitate the return of Bangladeshis.

The embassy has confirmed that it is working tirelessly to ensure the successful execution of these flights, securing necessary official permissions from Libyan authorities and obtaining exit visas (Khurooj Nihai) for the migrants.

Additionally, efforts are ongoing to expedite the return of migrants from Benghazi, including those newly interested in repatriation.

The repatriation of these migrants is expected to have significant implications for Bangladesh’s economy, particularly in terms of remittances.

Libya has been a key destination for Bangladeshi migrant workers, contributing to the country’s foreign currency reserves through remittance inflows.

However, ongoing political instability and economic challenges in Libya have put many Bangladeshi workers in precarious situations, limiting their ability to send money home.

The sudden drop in remittance inflows from Libya, though not as substantial as from countries like Saudi Arabia or the UAE, may still add pressure on Bangladesh’s foreign exchange reserves.

In 2023, Bangladesh received approximately $22 billion in remittances, with Libya accounting for a small but significant share.

Sources said that the government may need to explore rehabilitation programs and alternative employment opportunities for these returnees to prevent further economic hardship.

Additionally, the embassy is continuing its efforts to expedite the safe return of registered migrants from Benghazi, along with new interested migrants.

In this regard, all concerned are reassured that the embassy is taking every possible step to ensure the safe repatriation of Bangladeshi migrants and is maintaining regular communication with all relevant parties.

According to IOM, the failure to hold presidential and parliamentary elections in December 2021 continues to entrench institutional and political divisions and has heightened tensions between rival political opponents and armed factions with lasting negative effects on the socioeconomic well-being of the Libyan population.

As of February 2024, IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) recorded a total of 147,382 displaced persons in Libya, including 107,203 IDPs due to conflict, and 40,179 IDPs due to floods, notably Storm Daniel in September 2023.

Both flood (80 percent) and conflict (70 per cent) driven IDPs were on pathways to durable solutions, while 40,826 individuals are still in need of humanitarian assistance, and those on the solutions pathways require support to sustain the progress towards recovery.

Weak and governance and rule of law expose migrants to socioeconomic challenges and protection risks, with undocumented migrants at higher risk of arbitrary detention, violence, exploitation, hazardous living conditions, and smuggling and trafficking.

According to IOM, there are 21,134 migrants from Bangladesh in Libya and Bangladesh is the seventh most represented nationality in Libya – three percent of migrants are Bangladeshis.
In Libya, the majority of Bangladeshi were employed and working mainly as construction, labourer, cleaner or waiter.

In 2023 and 2024 IOM Libya has so far helped 1,981 Bangladeshis return to their home country through its voluntary humanitarian return programme, which includes economic, social, and psychosocial reintegration support.