The Bangladeshi embassy in Lebanon has requested that any Bangladeshis who are stuck abroad and want to go back home due to the increase in violence in the area register their names.
As the government is committed to returning all of its citizens who are ready to do so, the embassy has been collaborating closely with all relevant parties to guarantee their safety and prompt transportation, according to a news release from the foreign ministry issued here today.
Approximately one thousand migrant workers are keen to go back home, according to preliminary reports.The ministries of Foreign Affairs, Expatriates’ Welfare, and Overseas Employment are working together to make sure they return safely.
As part of the response, Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin has instructed Bangladesh’s ambassador to Lebanon to ensure the safe return of the Bangladeshi nationals. Additionally, measures are being taken to safeguard the welfare of those, who opt to stay in Lebanon, said the release.
Earlier, the government at an inter-ministerial meeting held recently, laid out a framework for the repatriation of Bangladeshi nationals in Lebanon. Foreign Secretary, Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Secretary and the Managing Director of Biman Bangladesh Airlines attended the meeting, among others.
According to the announcement, heads of Bangladesh’s diplomatic missions throughout the Middle East participated in the conference by Zoom to guarantee a coordinated strategy across pertinent diplomatic channels.
Bangladesh has asked the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to set up chartered planes to remove Bangladeshi expats who are stuck in Lebanon, according to Foreign Advisor Md. Touhid Hossain’s statement on Tuesday.
“The challenge is that Beirut’s airport is currently unsafe for flight operations. We have suggested finding an alternative location outside the war-zone for the evacuation of Bangladeshi nationals,” Touhid told the media.
On September 23, Israel launched its biggest airstrike against southern Lebanon in years, which escalated the conflict in Lebanon. The most intense bombardment in recent memory, over 1,300 targets have reportedly been targeted, primarily in the southern region, according to international media.
Since Israel started its bombings last month, more than 2,080 people have died and almost 9,870 have been injured in the fighting.
Due to the increase in violence in the area, more than 100,000 people have left Lebanon for Syria, a neighboring country.
