The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has said they are looking into the possibility of additional support to facilitate the safe return of Bangladesh nationals and ensure that a safe passage home is available to those left vulnerable in Lebanon.
The government of Bangladesh, earlier, sought support from the IOM which is part of the United Nations system and stands as the leading intergovernmental organization in the field of migration.
Another batch of 58 individuals is expected to arrive in Bangladesh on October 23.
The flight with the first batch of evacuees arrived in Dhaka Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport via Jeddah on Monday, with a group comprising 54 individuals, including 20 women and 8 children.
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These evacuees are among approximately 1,800 Bangladeshi nationals who have expressed their wish to voluntarily return due to the deteriorating security conditions in Lebanon.
IOM’s acting Chief of Mission in Bangladesh Fathima Nusrath Ghazzali said the efforts of the government of Bangladesh to evacuate its nationals is commendable and IOM stands committed to support the Bangladeshi authorities in these humanitarian efforts.
"IOM is exploring potential avenues to extend additional support for vulnerable Bangladeshi nationals in Lebanon at soonest," she said.
Upon arrival at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, the returnees were provided with immediate assistance by IOM, including food, brief medical assessment, and onward transportation support to ensure safe travel to their place of origin.
Amidst the escalating conflict in Lebanon, the government of Bangladesh has initiated efforts to evacuate Bangladeshi nationals stranded in vulnerable situations.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment (MoEWOE) are partnering in supporting the evacuation of vulnerable Bangladeshi nationals and are being supported by the International Organization for Migration with assistance with General Security in Lebanon and immediate assistance upon arrival in Bangladesh with the financial support from the European Union.
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Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul shared their commitment and said the government will repatriate all the stranded migrants with government cost, from war ridden Lebanon and will rehabilitate them as required.
The government of Bangladesh and IOM are "strongly committed" to facilitating the safe return of Bangladeshi nationals at the earliest.
IOM has to date collaborated with the Government of Bangladesh to safely return more than 150,000 of its nationals from conflict situations in the past including the Gulf crisis, Libya and more recently Sudan.
The situation in Lebanon remains tense, with many areas affected by ongoing airstrikes, severely impacting the safety of civilians, including migrant communities, according to the IOM.
The government of Bangladesh is closely monitoring the situation, issuing necessary instructions to ensure the safety of those remaining in Lebanon, and will continue to provide support to repatriate stranded Bangladeshi nationals.