170 migrants return from Libya
Bangladesh on Tuesday repatriated 170 nationals from Libya, most of whom had travelled to the North African country through irregular channels in an attempt to reach Europe by sea, Foreign Ministry said.
The returnees arrived in Dhaka at around 5:00am on a Buraq Air flight from the Libyan city of Benghazi under a coordinated humanitarian repatriation effort involving the Bangladesh Embassy in Libya, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, the Libyan authorities, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
According to the foreign ministry, many of the returnees had fallen victim to human traffickers who lured them with promises of jobs and safe passage to Europe.
Several among them reportedly endured abduction, torture and other forms of abuse during their stay in Libya.
Officials from the foreign ministry, relevant government agencies and the IOM received the migrants at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.
The government has once again urged aspiring migrant workers to avoid illegal migration routes and to remain cautious of trafficking networks operating across the region.
Authorities also requested the returnees to share their experiences publicly in order to raise awareness about the dangers of irregular migration.
Libya has long been a major transit point for undocumented migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean into Europe.
Bangladeshi nationals have frequently been among those detained in camps or caught in trafficking rings amid ongoing instability in the country.
The IOM provided immediate humanitarian assistance to the returnees, including travel allowances, food supplies, primary healthcare support and temporary accommodation where necessary.
Officials said the Bangladeshi government, in coordination with international agencies, continues to work for the safe return of Bangladeshis currently held in various detention centres across Libya.
The latest repatriation highlights the growing challenge faced by Bangladesh in tackling human trafficking and unsafe migration, despite repeated awareness campaigns and government efforts to expand legal overseas employment opportunities.
