Bangladesh asks South Africa to ensure the safety of its nationals

Bangladesh, like several other countries, has asked the South African authorities to ensure the safety of its nationals amid xenophobic attacks.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 22 April 2015, 06:10 PM
Updated : 22 April 2015, 06:10 PM

At least seven people have been killed and hundreds left homeless in the last three weeks of attacks on other Africans and Asians.
 
The foreign ministry, however, said on Wednesday that no Bangladeshi had been harmed in the conflict.
 
The attacks began after alleged comments by a ceremonial leader, Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, telling migrants to go home.
 
He, however, later clarified that his remarks were mistranslated.
 
BBC says many South Africans accuse foreign nationals of eating into the job market in a country having almost 25 percent unemployment.
 
Official data suggests there are about two million foreign nationals in South Africa, but some estimates put the number much higher.
 
Amid a worsening situation, the authorities had deployed the army in some volatile areas.
 
The Bangladesh mission in Pretoria has talked with the South African foreign ministry and law-enforcing agencies, seeking security for its nationals.
 
Dhaka has also asked its nationals to be careful and shut down their shops and businesses until normalcy returned.
 
They have also been asked to contact the Bangladesh mission on 0027- 0123432105-7, 0027- 12- 0744871057 and 0027- 12- 0843262828, for any support. Dhaka has instructed its mission to provide all help.
 
About 60,000 to 70,000 Bangladeshis are officially living in South Africa. The actual number will be higher.
 
Bangladeshi shop owner Shameen Muhammed on Monday told Reuters that he lost everything this week when a mob of twenty men looted his small corner-side supermarket.
 
"I thought I would come to this country and do well,” he told Reuters by phone from a room in Johannesburg where he is hiding along with 30 fellow Bangladeshis.
 
"We have no food. If go outside I am afraid,” Muhammed said. "My life is not safe here."