82 BD expats return from war-torn Lebanon
Staff Reporter :
A total of 82 Bangladeshi nationals in war-torn Lebanon have been successfully repatriated on Friday.
With the joint efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, the Bangladesh Embassy in Beirut, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the returnees arrived in Dhaka at 11:00 PM on Emirates Airlines flight EK-584.
Among the returnees, 76 individuals were brought back entirely at the expense of the Bangladeshi government, while the remaining six were repatriated with funding from the IOM.
The 76 individuals had registered with the Bangladesh Embassy in Beirut, while the six others were registered through IOM.
To date, a total of 697 Bangladeshi nationals have been repatriated from Lebanon on 11 flights, following the escalation of violence in the country.
Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, and IOM greeted the returnees upon their arrival at the airport.
Mostafa Jamil Khan, Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, spoke with the repatriated individuals about their experiences and inquired about their well-being, acknowledging the devastating impact of the ongoing conflict in Lebanon.
So far, one Bangladeshi has been confirmed dead in a bombing during the conflict.
The government has assured that it will cover the expenses for repatriating any Bangladeshi expatriates wishing to return home amidst the crisis.
The Bangladesh Embassy in Beirut is actively working to ensure the safe return of willing expatriates and to guarantee the safety of those who choose to remain in Lebanon.
Officials stated that this initiative highlights the government’s commitment to the welfare of Bangladeshi citizens abroad, even in challenging and dangerous circumstances.
According to Foreign Ministry, some 1800 Bangladeshi expatriates in Lebanon have registered to return home as the country is undergoing Israeli attack in various locations there, affecting seriously the lives and livelihoods of locals and expatriates.
According to Foreign Ministry, some 80,000 Bangladeshi expatriates are currently living in different cities of Lebanon and sending much of their remittance home.
However, such return of Bangladeshis from Lebanon due to unrest is also hitting the remittance as Middle East is a major hub for Bangladesh to receive remittance regularly.
Bangladesh is currently hungry for earning foreign exchanges to inject its dwindling reserves.
Bangladesh is currently facing significant economic challenges, with its dwindling foreign reserves, which has been held the previous Awami League government responsible.
As a result, the country under the Interim Government led by Prof Muhammad Yunus is taking various initiatives and strategies to bolster its foreign earnings to stabilize its economy and safeguard its financial stability.
The Yunus government is also seeking cooperation of different countries including the US, UK and Malaysia to support bringing back the laundered money.
However, the return of the Bangladeshi migrants is also partially impacting the remittance earning.
