Govt engages to evacuate stranded Bangladeshis from Afghanistan: FM

The government has been engaged to take all possible arrangements to evacuate all Bangladeshis who have been stranded in Afghanistan. "We do always evacuate Bangladeshi nationals (if any one got standard in any country), we will take them back whenever chances to be created (in Afghanistan)," he told journalists at his residence in the capital Thursday evening.

Not detailing the efforts taken by the government to evacuate the Bangladesh nationals from Afghanistan, the foreign minister said that the stranded Bangladeshis would get all support from Dhaka.

Dr Momen said the Bangladesh Embassy in Uzbekistan is working to provide support to stranded Bangladeshis in Afghanistan as there is no Bangladesh mission in Kabul.

"They (Bangladesh mission in Uzbekistan) will manage" he added.

The foreign minister said Dhaka has been observing the Afghanistan situation. According to different unconfirmed sources, nearly 20 Bangladeshi nationals have been stuck in Afghanistan.

Earlier, Bangladesh had called upon all to take steps to ensure sustainable peace in Afghanistan and safely evacuate foreign nationals including Bangladeshis from there.

Bangladesh ambassador to Saudi Arabia Mohammad Javed Patwary made the call at an emergency meeting of permanent representatives of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation held in Jeddah on Sunday.

On Tuesday, Bangladesh called upon United Nations (UN) to take concrete steps for establishing and sustaining peace in Afghanistan through inclusive political dialogue.

"An Afghan-led and Afghan-owned inclusive political dialogue anchored on national sovereignty and territorial integrity is essential for establishing and sustaining peace in Afghanistan", said Bangladesh Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva Md Mustafizur Rahman while addressing the 31st Special Session

of the UN Human Rights Council on the ongoing human rights situation in Afghanistan.

"Bangladesh believes that a democratic and pluralistic Afghanistan as chosen by its people is the only guarantee of stability and development in the country," the foreign minister said in a statement on August 9.

Bangladesh is urging all stakeholders in Afghanistan to maintain peace and calm ensuring safety and security of all including foreign nationals, said the foreign ministry here.