135 Bangladeshi evacuees reach Jeddah from crisis-hit Sudan

A total of 135 Bangladeshi nationals have reached Jeddah from crisis-hit Sudan by special flights of the Royal Saudi Air Force as fighting between the army and a paramilitary force continues in the African country.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Seheli Sabrin said flights carrying 135 Bangladeshi nationals reached Jeddah airport on Sunday.

Mohammad Javed Patwary, Bangladesh's Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Consul General of Bangladesh in Jeddah Md Nazmul Hoque welcomed the Bangladeshis.

They were kept at the Jeddah-Bangladesh International School, where necessary arrangements have been made. All these evacuees will leave for Dhaka on a flight from Jeddah Airport tonight on a Biman Bangladesh flight.

According to the sources, about 1,500 Bangladeshi citizens live in Sudan, who can register to come back to the country, after which they will be brought back in phases. Bangladesh Embassy in Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah have made all preparations in this regard, sources added.

Earlier, 675 Bangladeshi nationals looking to leave crisis-hit Sudan reached Port Sudan from Khartoum.

“Those who are without passports have already been provided with travel permits,” State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam said in a Facebook post on Thursday.