82 more Bangladeshis return from Lebanon amid Israel conflict

As many as 697 Bangladeshis have been repatriated since the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel reignited

Another 82 Bangladeshi nationals have been repatriated from Lebanon amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

They arrived in Dhaka on Thursday night aboard an Emirates flight, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Friday.

The repatriation effort is being coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, the Bangladesh Embassy in Beirut, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

To date, a total of 697 Bangladeshis have been brought back home on 11 flights, according to the foreign ministry.

Following the outbreak of the war in Gaza in 2023, hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel escalated. Since mid-September, Israel has intensified its attacks on Lebanon.

The Bangladesh Embassy estimates that around 100,000 Bangladeshi expatriates reside in Lebanon. Earlier, the government said that 1,800 Bangladeshi nationals had registered to return amid the conflict.

Amid the repatriation process, one Bangladeshi was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on Nov 2. There have also been reports of injuries among Bangladeshis since the conflict started.

Of the 82 individuals repatriated on Thursday, 76 were brought back at the government’s expense, while six were supported by IOM funding.

Representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare, and IOM welcomed the returnees at the airport.

The foreign ministry has pledged to repatriate all Bangladeshi migrants who wish to return from Lebanon during the conflict at government expense. For those choosing to stay, the government is taking all necessary measures to ensure their safety.