Amidst ongoing Israeli attacks, the government is devising plans to repatriate Bangladeshi expatriates from Lebanon; however, the specifics of this process are still unknown.
The fact that there are so few commercial flights—only Middle East Airlines operates out of Beirut—hinders the repatriation efforts.
On Friday, Anwar Hossain, the first secretary for labor at the Bangladesh Embassy in Beirut, informed bdnews24.com that the embassy is working with the foreign ministry to make it easier for Bangladeshis who want to return home.
“We have kept the foreign ministry updated on the general situation, and we do so every day. However, the ministry is still in the process of determining the specifics of their repatriation.
The International Organization for Migration, or IOM, usually assists in the rescue of foreign nationals during times of war.
According to Anwar, the organization is in constant contact with the foreign ministry and the Bangladeshi embassy in Lebanon.
There are reportedly close to 100,000 Bangladeshi expatriates living in Lebanon. Anwar reported the relocation of 2,500 individuals from conflict areas in Beirut and southern Lebanon.
The precise number of Bangladeshis who want to go back has not yet been established, and as soon as the repatriation plan is finalized, the embassy will start the registration process.
According to Anwar, the IOM is considering ferry and chartered flight options from Turkey as a backup transportation option.
He stated that the IOM is considering chartered flights as well as the possibility of repatriating people from Turkey by ship.
The five Bangladeshi nationals reported injured by the Israeli attacks are now considered “out of danger” after receiving medical attention.
Several hundred Bangladeshis in need of shelter have been provided by the embassy, and foreigners are urged to call the helpline for immediate assistance.
