A total of 170 Bangladeshis who had been detained at the Qanfoodah (Qanfouda) Detention Centre in Benghazi and the Tajura (Tajoura) Detention Centre in Tripoli, Libya, returned to Dhaka today (24 June).
They were brought back to Bangladesh on a special Buraq Air flight, which landed in Dhaka at 5:20am, reads a Ministry of Foreign Affairs press release.
According to the release, they were repatriated with the cooperation of the Libyan government and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Bangladesh Embassy in Libya, and the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.
Most of the repatriated Bangladeshis reportedly entered Libya with the intention of travelling illegally to Europe by sea, under the persuasion and assistance of human traffickers.
Many of them alleged that they had been abducted and tortured at different times in Libya.
The foreign ministry requested them to share their painful experiences with others to raise public awareness.
IOM provided each repatriated person with travel expenses, some food items, primary medical care and, if necessary, temporary accommodation, the release added.
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