183 Bangladeshis return home from Lebanon amid conflict

A total of 183 Bangladeshis, who were stuck in Lebanon because of the ongoing violence, have safely returned to Bangladesh. 

The return was made possible with help from the Bangladesh government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Expatriates‍‍` Welfare and Overseas Employment, the Bangladesh Embassy in Beirut, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Of these returnees, 151 arrived early this morning on a chartered flight operated by Sky Vision Airlines, funded by the IOM. 

The flight, SVI-5002, landed at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 1:00 AM. Another 32 Bangladeshis returned the previous night on an Emirates Airlines flight (EK-584), which was funded by the Bangladesh government. 

This makes a total of 521 Bangladeshis who have now returned home from Lebanon on nine separate flights.

At the airport, government officials including Md Ruhul Amin, the Secretary of Expatriates‍‍` Welfare, Syed Masud Mahmud Khondaker, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and IOM representatives welcomed the returnees.

Each person who returned was given 5,000 Taka, food, and basic medical care by the IOM. The officials also spoke with the returnees to hear about their experiences in Lebanon during the ongoing conflict.

Sadly, it was also reported that one Bangladeshi citizen lost his life in a recent bombing in Lebanon.

The Bangladesh government has said it will continue to cover the costs for any Bangladeshi nationals who want to return home from Lebanon due to the ongoing violence. 

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Embassy in Beirut is still working to ensure the safety of those who have decided to stay in Lebanon.