174 Bangladeshis return home from Libya detention centre

A total of 174 Bangladeshi nationals held at the Tajoura Detention Centre in Libya returned home this morning, the foreign ministry said.

They arrived in Dhaka at 9:47am on a Buraq Air flight, according to a press release issued today.

The repatriation was arranged by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Bangladesh Embassy in Libya, and the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, with cooperation from the Libyan government and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Deceived by human traffickers, most of the returnees had entered Libya irregularly while trying to reach Europe by sea. Many alleged they had been kidnapped and tortured during their stay in Libya.

Officials from the foreign ministry, other relevant ministries and the IOM received them at the airport. The ministry urged the returnees to share their experiences to raise awareness about the risks of irregular migration and trafficking.

The IOM provided each returnee with travel expenses, food supplies and primary medical care, while temporary accommodation was arranged where necessary.

The foreign ministry, the embassy in Libya, the expatriates’ welfare ministry and the IOM are working together to ensure safe repatriation of Bangladeshis detained in different centres across Libya.