As many as 174 Bangladeshi nationals have returned from Libya. They arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport by a Buraq Air flight at 5:10am on Monday (June 1).
They were brought back through the joint efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Embassy in Libya, the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The ministry said most of the returned Bangladeshis entered Libya through human traffickers to illegally cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe (Italy). Many of them were held hostage by mafia groups and human trafficking syndicates, and faced severe physical and mental torture.
Ransoms ranging from Tk 25 lakh to Tk 60 lakhs were extorted from many families.
Among the returned citizens, 14 are critically ill.
Upon arrival at the airport, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) provided everyone with travel allowances (pocket money), food, emergency medical care, and temporary accommodation. The government is encouraging everyone to take legal action against human traffickers and to avoid dangerous illegal migration routes.
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