Bangladeshis to be evacuated from Ukraine thru bordering countries: MoFA

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) fRIday said Bangladeshis stranded in Ukraine can seek safe shelters through the other bordering countries - Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova along with Poland as per their convenience.

On Thursday, the ministry suggested evacuation to stranded Bangladeshis to Poland as Ukraine shares its western border with Poland while Russian troops entered its breakaway republics through the eastern side.

However, this morning, the ministry suggested Bangladeshis that they could also be evacuated from the troubled Eastern European country to its western and south western bordering countries - Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova apart from Poland.

The foreign ministry requested Bangladeshis in Ukraine to contact the following numbers of the Bangladesh Embassies for necessary assistance:

For Slovakia and Hungary: Bangladesh Embassy in Austria, Vienna: (i)Rahat Bin Zaman, Deputy Chief of Mission: +43 688 60344492 (ii) Jubayadul H. Chowdhury, ACO: +43 688 60603068

For Romania and Moldova: Bangladesh Embassy in Romania, Bucharest: (i) +40 (742) 553 809 (ii) Mir Mehedi Hasan (tel & WhatsApp group)+40 (742) 553 809 For Poland: Bangladesh Embassy in Poland, Warsaw: (i)Mr. Md. Masudur Rahman +48 739 527 722 (ii) Md Mahbubur Rahman +48 579 262 403 (iii) MST Farhana Yesmin +48 690 282 561 (iv) Mr. Billal Hossain +48 739 634 125 (v) Mr. Md. Rabbani +48 696 745 903 On Thursday, State Minister for foreign affairs Md Shahriar Alam said 250 Bangladeshis in Ukraine by now enlisted them in a whatsapp group while official estimate suggested another 250 Bangladeshis were currently living there.

However, unofficial estimates suggest the number could be higher than 500.

Alam said the Bangladesh government would evacuate its nationals by chartered flights while Bangladesh's Warsaw mission was equipped with extra manpower, mobilizing officials from Bangladeshi embassies to Germany and Italy.

The foreign ministry, meanwhile, in a statement said Bangladesh was deeply concerned at the recent escalation of violence in Ukraine as such violence would seriously impact the peace and stability of the whole region.

"Therefore, we urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint, cessation of hostilities and endeavour to resolve this crisis through returning to diplomacy and dialogue," read the statement.

It said Dhaka was also gauging possible impacts of the Ukraine crisis on the economy of the region and beyond due to the deteriorating situation, which several analysts called the most serious European crisis since the Second World War.

International media reports said invading Russian forces pressed deep into Ukraine as deadly battles reached the outskirts of Kyiv and the West responded with punishing sanctions.

Russian missiles and shelling rained down on Ukrainian cities Thursday after President Vladimir Putin unleashed a full-scale ground invasion and air assault, forcing civilians to shelter on metro systems, with 100,000 people displaced, the report said.