136 Bangladeshis to be brought back from Djibouti on Tuesday

One hundred and thirty-six Bangladeshis still in Djibouti after their evacuation from the war-ravaged Yemen will be flown back to Dhaka on Tuesday night.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam on Monday said a special Biman Bangladesh flight would bring them back.

They are expected to reach Shahjalal International Airport at around 8pm, he told reporters, replying a question during a press briefing on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Indonesia visit from Apr 21.

The latest batch was evacuated from Hodeida, Yemen on Apr 15 by Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sumitra and reached Djibouti on Apr 16.

The state minister said they had evacuated 508 Bangladeshis from Yemen with India’s help.

He said some of Bangladeshis refused to come back as they had businesses back in Yemen.

Most of them have been brought back to Dhaka via India’s Kerala, where they came on India’s passenger ships.

The state minister said the total number of Bangladeshis in Yemen would not exceed 700-800 including those evacuees.

“It’s our best possible estimate after talking to all,” he said.

Bangladesh has no missions in Yemen and tiny east African state across the Gulf of Aden, Djibouti.

The poor Arabian Peninsula turned volatile after Shia Houthi rebels took control of its capital more than six months ago. The situation turned complicated after Saudi Arabia began airstrikes.