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A total of 174 Bangladeshi nationals have returned home after being detained for a prolonged period at various detention centers in Libya. They were repatriated safely and humanely from the Ganfuda Detention Center in Benghazi through an initiative of the Bangladesh Embassy, with assistance from the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
They arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 6:00am on Tuesday on a Burak Air flight, UZ-222, from Libya. Among those returning were three women, one child, and 15 people who were ill.
According to sources, the Bangladeshis had attempted to travel to Europe across the Mediterranean through irregular routes in search of better lives. However, they were rescued or detained during maritime operations and subsequently spent a prolonged period in inhumane conditions at Libya’s Ganfuda Detention Center.
The Bangladesh Embassy said it has been regularly coordinating with local authorities and the IOM to ensure the safe repatriation of Bangladeshi nationals detained in Libya. As part of these efforts, the latest group of 174 Bangladeshis was brought home with approval from the local administration and comprehensive assistance from the IOM.
The embassy also said that regular interviews, identity verification, and repatriation procedures are being conducted for Bangladeshis detained at the Ganfuda center in Benghazi and the Tajoura Detention Center in Tripoli. Efforts are continuing to repatriate the remaining Bangladeshis at these centers in phases.
Earlier, 340 Bangladeshis in similar circumstances returned home from Libya on August 7. With the latest 174 returnees, a total of 514 Bangladeshis have been repatriated from Libya this month.
The Bangladesh Embassy urged citizens not to fall prey to the promises of brokers and human traffickers and to follow legal and safe migration channels. It also emphasized the importance of using government-approved and lawful procedures for overseas employment and migration.
