Government moves to bring back bodies of Bangladeshis killed in Libya

The government is trying to bring back the bodies of the two Bangladesh nationals killed in Libya, the foreign ministry has said.

They were killed during skirmishes between rival militias.

The foreign ministry announcement comes a day after their families in Habiganj and Barisal reported the deaths.

They say two other Bangladesh nationals were injured during the skirmish.

But efforts to bring back Bangladesh nationals -- dead or alive -- will not be easy as Dhaka has shifted its mission from Tripoli to neighbouring Tunisia after the Libyan conflict spun out of control.

The Bangladesh foreign ministry advised all its nationals not to travel to Libya and asked those still there to avoid conflict zones.

The two Bangladesh nationals died in the skirmish at Al-Kufrah city, 1800 km from capital Tripoli, on July 21.

About sixty Bangladesh nationals are still in the Al-Kufrah city.

It is reliably learnt that the two injured Bangladeshis -- Md Saiful Islam from Sirajganj’s Shahjadpur and Md Raju Mia of Tangail’s Modhupur --  are undergoing treatment at Al-Kufrah General Hospital where the two dead bodies have been kept.

Those killed were identified as Mosleh Uddin from Habiganj and Md. Ariful Karim from Barisal. Their families are aware of their death.

The foreign ministry said its Tunisia mission is taking “necessary measures” to bring back the dead bodies to Bangladesh.

Its contact person was in touch with the injured in hospital and the Bangladeshis at Al-Kufrah community, the foreign ministry said in a statement.