Bangladeshis trapped due to air strikes

Monday, 21 March 2011 13:47

Thousands of Bangladeshis living in Tripoli are now reportedly trapped as western powers have started enforcing no-fly zone over Libya. While talking to the BBC Sunday, Bangladesh Ambassador to Tripoli ABM Nuruzzaman said it is difficult to assess the exact number of Bangladeshis still living in Libya. “Our workers were evacuated by different foreign companies easily but those who stay in Libya with family members are virtually stranded, “ he said. He said, after declaration of ‘no-fly zone’ by the international community, Bangladeshi workers have become panicky and want to leave Libya immediately.
When asked about advisory to them by the embassy for leaving Libya, Nuruzzaman said the mission asked the Bangladeshis in west Libya to go to Tunisia and those who are in the east can go to Egypt. As there is no chance to fly, the embassy advised them to go by road. “But then those who will choose to leave by road must be careful about looting and many such cases have already been reported.
About the life in Tripoli, the ambassador said, there has been normalcy during the last five to seven days. “But today (Sunday) the scenario has changed as the allied forces have started to launch air strikes.”
“We always contact the foreign ministry in Dhaka. If necessary, we will relocate or shut the embassy in Tripoli in future,” he added.
Meanwhile, Dr. Zafar Ahmed  Khan, secretary of  the ministry of  Expatriate’s Welfare  and overseas employment said Sunday, “As far as we know, Bangladeshis living in Libya have remained indoors with enough foodstuffs to last a week.”
Bangladeshis living  in  Libya have been advised to remain indoors following the air strikes, he said at a press briefing organized by foreign secretary M Mirajul Quayes. 
So far, 29,801 Bangladeshis have been repatriated from Libya to Bangladesh, while around 2,500  Bangladeshis remain stranded in Ras Jdir, the border point between Libya and Tunisia.
Minister for  expatriates welfare and overseas employment engineer Khandker Mosharraf Hossain  visited Bangladeshis awaiting repatriation at Djerba airport in Tunisa.  On Sunday he also visited transit camps. Bangladeshis at Al Salloum, he said, have already been repatriated.  If  Bangladeshis continue to gather  at Al Salloum border check point, the government  will continue to arrange Biman flights, or will request  International Organization of Migration (IOM) to provide flights.
On Sunday night, 168 out of 216 Bangladeshis stranded in the Algerian city Ain Amenas will be placed on chartered IOM-sponsored flights... source: The Independent http://www.theindependentbd.com/paper-edition/frontpage/129-frontpage/40153-bangladeshis-trapped-due-to-air-strikes.html