Govt to bring back Bangladeshis from China amid coronavirus outbreak

The government plans to bring back Bangladeshis, if willing, from China amid coronavirus outbreak, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam said in a Facebook post on Monday.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 27 Jan 2020, 08:30 AM
Updated : 27 Jan 2020, 08:59 AM

“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has ordered arrangements for the return of Bangladeshi nationals, if willing, from China.”

Talks have been initiated with the Chinese government regarding the matter, he said, adding the process will depend on the local administration’s consent.A preliminary directive will be issued on Monday to list those interested in returning home from China, the Alam said.

There are about 400 Bangladeshi students in Wuhan, the epicentre of coronavirus outbreak, Bangladesh's foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

However, no person living in Bangladesh has been infected with the virus yet.

In the wake of the outbreak, the Bangladesh Embassy in Beijing has launched a hotline to address any urgent need.

Students and researchers can dial +86 178-0111-6005 to receive 24/7 assistance.

The virus has spread to Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Nepal, the US, France, Australia and Canada over the past few days.

As of Jan 27, the virus has killed 81 people in China and infected more than 2,750 globally, according to Reuters.