174 Bangladeshis Repatriated From Libya After Failed Europe Attempt

A group of 174 Bangladeshi nationals, including three women and a child, returned to Dhaka after being held in a Libyan detention center. The individuals had attempted to reach Europe through irregular routes and were repatriated from Benghazi with assistance from the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

According to a notification from the Bangladesh Embassy in Libya, the returnees arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 6:00 AM. Fifteen of the repatriated individuals were reported to be in poor health. They had been held at the Ganfuda Detention Centre in Benghazi since August 17, having been detained or rescued during their journeys across the Mediterranean Sea.

Officials described the conditions at the Ganfuda detention center as inhumane. The Bangladesh Embassy stated it collaborates with Libyan authorities and the IOM to facilitate the safe repatriation of Bangladeshi citizens. The embassy regularly interviews detained Bangladeshis at both the Ganfuda center in Benghazi and the Tajura Detention Centre in Tripoli to arrange their return.

The embassy emphasized ongoing efforts to repatriate remaining Bangladeshis held in Libyan detention centers. It also issued a strong warning against human traffickers and brokers, cautioning that irregular journeys abroad can lead to death, disappearance, hostage-taking, or prolonged detention.

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Altogether 174 people arrived from Libya at around 6:00am.