Govt to fly in bodies of nine workers
The government has asked the Bangladesh ambassador in Greece to send home the nine bodies of migrant workers, who jumped off a ship during evacuation from Libya to the Greek island of Crete on March 6.
Three Bangladeshi workers drowned, 11 went missing and several others were hospitalised when some 49 Bangladeshi workers jumped from the ship apparently to avoid repatriation.
Of the missing, Greek authorities later recovered nine bodies. With this, the death toll rises to 12 with two Bangladeshi nationals missing.
Briefing reporters at the foreign ministry yesterday afternoon, Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes said the nine bodies are now at the mortuary of Hania General Hospital in Crete.
Meanwhile, he said repatriation of all Bangladeshis from Al Salloum at Libya-Egypt border has been completed but the evacuation process will not be wrapped up.
The foreign secretary said there are some 3,256 Bangladeshis at the Ras Jdir border, Tunisia and IOM is bringing them back via Djebra Airport.
He said Bangladesh Biman will divert its flights from Alexandria to Djebra on March 21, 25 and 27 to bring back Bangladesh nationals.
Quayes said 212 Bangladeshis were stranded in Ain-Amenas, a south-eastern city of Algeria. Of them, 167 will arrive in Dhaka on an IOM chartered flight today (Sunday).
Meanwhile, 264 Bangladeshis are scheduled to return home from Tunisia today. With these, the number of reported returnees from Libya would total 29,801.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments