174 Bangladeshis return from Libya detention centres

A total of 174 Bangladeshi nationals, who had been detained for an extended period in detention centres in Libya, returned home on Tuesday morning.

The returnees arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 6am on a Burak Air flight, from Libya.

The repatriation was arranged by the Bangladesh Embassy in Libya with support from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). The returnees had been detained at the Ganfuda Detention Centre in Benghazi after being rescued while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea irregularly to reach Europe.

Among the 174 returnees were three women and one child, while 15 people were physically ill.

The Bangladesh Embassy has been coordinating regularly with Libyan authorities and the IOM to facilitate the safe and humanitarian repatriation of Bangladeshi nationals detained at various detention centres in the country.

As part of the process, embassy officials have been conducting interviews and identity verification of Bangladeshi detainees at the Ganfuda detention centre in Benghazi and the Tajoura detention centre in Tripoli.

The embassy said efforts were continuing to bring back the remaining Bangladeshi nationals held at the detention centres in phases.

The embassy also expressed concern over the growing trend of attempting to travel to Europe through irregular and dangerous sea routes. Many migrants undertaking such journeys face the risk of death, disappearance, abduction or detention. Those rescued or detained often remain in detention centres for prolonged periods under difficult conditions.

The embassy urged Bangladeshis not to be lured or encouraged by brokers and human traffickers into attempting irregular migration.

It also called on prospective migrants to use legal and safe migration channels when travelling abroad.

Earlier, 340 Bangladeshis who had faced similar circumstances returned home on 7 August, according to the embassy.