A group of 170 Bangladeshi nationals, stranded in Libya's Benghazi after failed attempts to reach Europe by sea, safely returned home early Tuesday.
The repatriated individuals arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on a chartered Buraq Air flight, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The repatriation was coordinated by the Bangladesh Embassy in Libya, the foreign and expatriates' welfare ministries, the Libyan government, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Lured by human traffickers, most of the returnees had entered Libya illegally with the intention of crossing the Mediterranean Sea into Europe. According to ministry statements, many suffered severe hardships, including abduction and torture, during their ordeal in Libya.
Government and IOM officials received the survivors upon their arrival at the airport. Urging community action, the foreign ministry requested the returnees to share their harrowing experiences to raise public awareness against the severe dangers of human trafficking and illegal migration.
