Govt working to identify Bangladeshis stranded in Middle East conflict zones: Senior secretary

Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, Neyamat Ullah Bhuiyan, today said the government is working to identify Bangladeshi workers stranded in conflict-hit areas abroad and arrange assistance for them.

“Steps are being taken to determine the exact number of [Bangladeshi] workers trapped in war-affected areas overseas and to ensure food reaches them,” he said.

He made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at an internal training programme at the ministry on making Bangladesh missions abroad more worker-friendly in line with the government’s election manifesto.

He said Bangladeshi nationals currently in Bahrain cannot be brought back immediately as flights from Bahrain to Bangladesh remain suspended due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East.

The decision comes amid escalating tensions in the Middle East after the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran on February 28. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks against Israel and US military installations across the region, widening the conflict and raising global security concerns.

So far, four Bangladeshis have been killed -- one each in Bahrain and UAE, and two in Saudi Arabia.

Quoting the prime minister, the senior secretary said, “No matter what the cost is, if Bangladeshis in the Middle East face danger due to the war situation, measures will be taken to rescue them, provide medical treatment and, if necessary, bring them back home,” he said.

In cases of death, arrangements are being made to bring the bodies back to Bangladesh as quickly as possible, he added.

He further said the ministry maintains constant communication with labour wings in countries experiencing conflict.

To monitor developments related to the Iran crisis, the ministry has created a WhatsApp group to receive real-time updates from missions in the Middle East.

A separate WhatsApp group run by the Wage Earners’ Welfare Board also connects counsellors and labour wing officials stationed in different countries to provide regular updates.

Neyamat said a hotline (+8809610102030) is also operating through the Wage Earners’ Welfare Board, allowing families in Bangladesh to report information about migrants abroad so that immediate action can be taken.

He added that two officials have been appointed as focal points to ensure close coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the Middle East crisis, enabling daily updates on casualties and injuries involving Bangladeshi nationals.

The information is reviewed at the ministerial level and, when necessary, placed before the prime minister for further action, he added.