The bodies of two Bangladeshi expatriates killed in an Israeli drone strike in Lebanon were brought back to their hometowns in Satkhira district on Sunday.
The bodies of Shafiqul Islam, 43, of Purbapara village in Sadar upazila, and Nahidul Islam, 22, of Kadakathi village in Assasuni upazila, reached their respective homes around 10am.
Relatives, neighbours and local residents gathered to pay their last respects.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the bodies arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport earlier in the day on a Qatar Airways flight (QR-0642).
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam received the coffins at the airport and handed them over to family members, expressing deep condolences over the deaths.
The Bangladesh Embassy in Beirut completed all necessary procedures for repatriation, working closely with Lebanese authorities to obtain police clearance reports, repatriation permits and other required documents.
Officials said the government is closely monitoring the situation of Bangladeshi workers in Lebanon through the embassy and will continue to provide necessary assistance for their safety and welfare.
The two men were killed on 11 May in a drone strike in southern Lebanon while working abroad in search of better livelihoods, according to family members.
Officials from the Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment office in Khulna visited the grieving families and said emergency financial assistance of Tk35,000 and Tk50,000 was provided at the airport.
They added that the ministry will later provide Tk10 lakh in compensation to each family, while the state-owned Jiban Bima Corporation will also contribute an additional Tk3,00,000 per family.
