A group of 101 Bangladeshi nationals returned from Libya via Istanbul yesterday afternoon and another 1,000 are expected to return home by next two or three days.
And some 8,867 Bangladeshis now stationed in different bordering countries to Libya are in the process to be evacuated, Foreign Secretary Mohamed Mijarul Quayes said yesterday.
The 101 Bangladeshis were brought home by their employer Summal Libya JSC, a Turkish company. They were first taken to Istanbul by a Turkish flight, said an official at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
At the briefing, Mijarul Quayes made it clear that the government does not feel it necessary at this point for wholesale evacuation. "But, we have all preparations in place for a quick evacuation, if the situation demands,'' he added.
Quayes said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after the cabinet meeting yesterday instructed the foreign ministry to ensure security of the Bangladeshi nationals living in the North African country.
But reports say foreigners were continuing to flee Libya and migrants of various nationalities flooded into Tunisia, Greece and Egypt.
Some foreign embassies in Libya have also started to evacuate their staff.
The 192-member UN General Assembly, which is mandated to elect members of the Geneva-based Human Rights Council (HRC), will meet today and expected to call for the expulsion of Libya.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Sadeque, a Bangladeshi chartered accountant, who returned home from Tripoli via Istanbul and Karachi yesterday, told The Daily Star that the Bangladeshis in Tripoli could be in a serious trouble, as clashes between the rebels and Gaddafi's forces could erupt there anytime.
"I would request the government to bring back the stranded Bangladeshis in whatever way it can," said Sadeque. Around 10 to 15 thousand Bangladeshis are residing in Tripoli.
Sadeque, an employee of an oil company, and three other chartered accountants returned home on their own.
In Tripoli Airport Sadeque found some Bangladeshis, who had air tickets for an Emirates flight on February 22, but failed to return, as the airline cancelled flights until March 26.
The Libyans themselves are now in a bad position, while many employers abandoned the workers putting them in danger, as shortage of food and water was a usual issue now, said Sadeque.
Speaking at the briefing, the foreign secretary said the situation in Benghazi has started returning to normal and shops and banks in the city have opened.
Besides, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has started its activities in full-sewing in Libya and they are providing food to people and helping them to move to safer places.
In this context, he indicated that arrangements could be made to shift the Bangladeshis to Benghazi.
The foreign secretary said the companies are taking their Bangladeshi staff to safer places. But, he said the Bangladesh government will bear the expenses of air travel, food and hotel in the evacuation process if there is none to pay.
Quayes said more than 8,867 Bangladeshis either left or set to leave Libya by plane, ships or buses for safer destinations in Greece, Egypt, Tunisia and Malta.
He said 700 Bangladeshis, now stranded at Tripoli International Airport and having difficulty leaving Libya by air or sea, will be shifted to Tunisia by buses today with support from ICRC.
He said Korean Hanil Company will take 1,500 Bangladeshi to Tunisia while Daewoo will shift 2000 to Titeus Port of Greece by March 3.
Besides, some 3,500 Bangladeshis have already reached the Egyptian border. Of them 1,000 were given travel documents yesterday to enter Egypt from where they will be brought back home.
Already 804 Bangladeshis reached Crete Island of Greece by a ship arranged by Chinese State Company.
He noted Bangladesh government has already given the undertaking that it would bear entire cost, including ship fair, hotel accommodation, and also given the guarantee that none of the Bangladeshis will overstay in Greece.
International Organization for Migration will also shift 362 Bangladeshis to Tunisia by plane today while one Bangladeshi reached Malta by a British Royal ship yesterday.
The foreign secretary said Bangladesh Ambassador in Cairo informed that some 670 Bangladeshis will return to Dhaka by air in next two to three days with the arrangement of the company that have recruited them.
Mijarul Quayes said the foreign ministry has already sent officials from Dhaka and moved staff from Bangladesh missions in Greece, Egypt, Italy, Malta and the UK in Libya to support the shifting.
Replying to a question, he said a ship of Bangladesh Navy is now on a UN peace keeping mission in Lebanon, which could be diverted for emergency evacuation from Libya.
Besides, the foreign secretary said all the Bangladesh Biman aircrafts will also be put into operation for emergency evacuation and authorities have already sought landing permission from the Libyan authorities.
Secretary to Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Zafar Ahmed Khan, Additional Foreign Secretary Mustafa Kamal, DG of Consular and Welfare Wing at Foreign Ministry Sultana Laila Hossain were present.
News Source: The Daily Star