A total of 309 more Bangladeshi nationals who had expressed their willingness to return home from Libya were repatriated on Friday under the supervision of the Bangladesh embassy in Tripoli, with cooperation from the Government of National Unity of Libya.
The returnees landed at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at about 9:30am on the day on a special chartered flight arranged by the Libyan authorities, according to the embassy.
This is the second chartered flight facilitated by the Libyan government this month to assist stranded or distressed Bangladeshi migrants.
A similar group of 309 migrants was repatriated on October 9 through the same arrangement.
Bangladesh ambassador to Libya retired Major General Abul Hasnat Muhammad Khairul Bashar saw the migrants off at the embassy premises before their departure, along with first secretary (labour) Md Russell Mia and other officials.
The ambassador said that the government remained committed to ensuring the safe and dignified return of migrant workers facing hardship abroad.
He urged the returnees to raise awareness in their communities against human trafficking and irregular migration, warning others about the grave risks involved in taking illegal routes.
He also encouraged aspirant migrants to pursue legal migration channels through proper skills development and training, noting that 鈥榚very citizen is a valuable national asset.鈥�
The embassy expressed gratitude to the Libyan ministries of interior and foreign affairs for their cooperation, saying that strong coordination between Dhaka and Tripoli had made the repatriation efforts possible.
Preparations are now under way to bring back another 300 Bangladeshi nationals from Libya on October 30.
According to the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training, thousands of Bangladeshi migrants in Libya remain undocumented or in distress, many of whom were trafficked through irregular routes across the Mediterranean corridor.
Over the past several years, the Bangladesh mission have facilitated the return of more than 10,000 nationals from Libya 鈥� many rescued from detention centres, prisons, or trafficking networks 鈥� under joint initiatives with the International Organisation for Migration and the Libyan authorities.
Despite repeated government campaigns, irregular migration to Libya and Europe via the Mediterranean continues, driven by poverty, lack of job opportunities, and exploitation by traffickers who promise high-paying jobs abroad.