A total of 174 Bangladeshi nationals, including three women and one child, have returned home after long periods in detention centres in Libya.
They landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka around 6am Tuesday on Burak Air flight UZ222 from Libya.
The Bangladesh Embassy, with support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), arranged their safe repatriation from the Ganfuda Detention Centre in Benghazi.
Embassy sources said the group had been held at Ganfuda after being rescued while attempting irregular migration to Europe across the Mediterranean. Of the returnees, 15 are physically ill.
The embassy has been coordinating regularly with local authorities and IOM to secure the safe return of Bangladeshis detained in Libya. With local approval and IOM’s assistance, arrangements were made for this latest repatriation.
Officials continue to interview detainees, verify identities and manage repatriation procedures for Bangladeshis held at Ganfuda in Benghazi and Tajoura in Tripoli. Efforts are under way to bring back those still in custody.
The embassy voiced concern over the dangerous trend of irregular sea journeys abroad, noting many migrants face death, disappearance, abduction or detention. Those rescued or arrested often endure prolonged stays in detention centres under inhumane conditions.
It urged Bangladeshis not to fall prey to brokers and traffickers and stressed the need to follow legal and safe migration channels.
Earlier, on 7 August, another 340 Bangladeshis returned home after facing similar circumstances.
