85 Bangladeshis return from Lebanon

Another batch of 85 Bangladeshi expatriates has returned home from war-torn Lebanon as part of the government’s repatriation initiative. With this, a number of 1,048 Bangladeshis have so far returned home from the Middle Eastern country via 16 flights.

The fresh returnees arrived at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 7:21am on Friday via Ethiopian Airlines flight ET-0680, with the entire cost covered by the government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release.

The foreign ministry, the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, the Bangladesh Embassy in Beirut, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) collaborated to facilitate their return.

Representatives from the ministries and the IOM welcomed the returnees at the airport.

The IOM provided each individual with Tk5,000 as pocket money, food items, and basic medical assistance.

Officials of the foreign ministry also spoke with the returnees to learn about their experiences during the conflict and offer support. One Bangladeshi has been reportedly killed in a bombing in Lebanon.