4 Bangladeshis killed, 14 injured in Iran-Israel war so far
Four Bangladeshis have been killed since the start of the Iran-Israel war, State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Nurul Haque Nur has said.
“Among them, one was in Bahrain, one in Dubai, and two in Saudi Arabia,” he said at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Monday after receiving the body of Ahmad Ali, a resident of Barlekha upazila in Moulvibazar district who was killed in Dubai during a missile strike.
Nur said that from the very beginning of the crisis in the Middle East, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had instructed all relevant authorities – including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment – to work in coordination to address problems faced by Bangladeshi expatriates, including arranging accommodation when necessary.
“Even today, we have spoken with the families of those killed in Saudi Arabia. I have also spoken with the family of the person from Tangail who died,” he said.
“On behalf of the prime minister, we conveyed our sympathy and support to his family and discussed arrangements for bringing the body back home. We also spoke with the family of the deceased from Kishoreganj,” he added.
Nur said around 14 Bangladeshi expatriates have been injured in missile strikes so far.
“Our embassies in the respective countries are providing them with the necessary assistance,” he said.
The state minister urged Bangladeshi expatriates in the Middle East to avoid conflict zones as much as possible, especially areas that are being targeted for attacks.
“We urge them to follow the guidelines issued by the authorities of the respective countries, including those related to warning sirens,” he said.
“At the same time, we would also request them not to publish any content on social media that violates the laws of host countries, as Bangladesh maintains long-standing financial and commercial relations with these nations,” he added.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam was also present at the airport. She said they had come to the airport in a “very heartbreaking situation”.
“We have always maintained that the safety of Bangladeshi citizens is of utmost importance to Bangladesh,” she said.
She added that government officials, including the senior secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare, would accompany the family members of the late Ahmad Ali to take his body to his village home.
The government is also working to bring back the bodies of two Bangladeshis killed in the Saudi capital Riyadh yesterday, she said.
“All we can say is that we never imagined we would have to come to the airport like this today. We hope we will not see any more deaths. We hope this situation, this war, will come to an end,” Shama added.
