A group of 340 Bangladeshi nationals who were stranded in Libya have returned home safely under a voluntary repatriation scheme.
The returnees arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 12pm on Friday, aboard Fly Oya Airlines flight YI5040.
The safe return of these citizens was supervised by Bangladesh Embassy in Libya and managed with the overall co-operation and support of Libyan government.
As part of the repatriation process, the Libyan government arranged to move the citizens from the embassy premises to a government reception centre in Tripoli on 5 August, with the embassy providing necessary co-ordination and assistance.
Ambassador Major General Md Habib Ullah met the departing citizens at both the embassy and the reception centre to bid them farewell and enquire about their well-being.
Having endured long waits and various hardships, many of the returning nationals expressed deep gratitude to the ambassador and the embassy for facilitating their journey home.
The embassy’s counsellor (labour), first secretary (labour), and other officials were present during the send-off.
Embassy staff were also stationed at Mitiga International Airport in Tripoli to ensure the departure went smoothly.
During a pre-departure briefing, the ambassador highlighted that the embassy has been working for a long time to secure the safe and voluntary repatriation of distressed citizens.
He explained that this is made possible through continuous meetings and close co-ordination with Libyan Interior Ministry and other relevant authorities.
Habib expressed his gratitude to Libyan government, noting that prioritising this humanitarian repatriation reflects the friendly ties between the two countries.
Upon their return, the ambassador encouraged the citizens to start their lives afresh.
He advised them to ignore social neglect or negative remarks, and to move forward with self-confidence and the support of their families.
Habib also urged them to help raise public awareness about the dangers of illegal migration and human trafficking, so that others do not fall victim to broker syndicates and suffer similar hardships.
The ambassador further emphasised the need for strict and effective measures against human trafficking and broker rings.
Before their departure, Habib met senior officials from various Libyan agencies to express his appreciation to Libyan government, particularly Ministry of Interior, for their vital co-operation.
“This humanitarian repatriation operation has been successfully completed owing to the joint efforts and sincere co-operation of the Bangladesh Embassy and the Libyan Ministry of Interior,” the ambassador said.
He expressed hope that Libyan government would continue to extend its support in the future to help other distressed Bangladeshi nationals who wish to return home voluntarily.
