An additional group of 171 Bangladeshi citizens who were held in Libyan detention facilities safely arrived back in Dhaka on Thursday.

The repatriation was carried out via a voluntary return initiative coordinated by the Bangladeshi government, authorities in Libya, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The returnees, previously confined at the Ganfouda Detention Centre in the city of Benghazi, landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 6:22 am on a flight operated by Buraq Air, a press statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed.

This joint operation was supervised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Bangladesh Embassy in Tripoli, and the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, in partnership with Libyan state authorities and the IOM.

According to government reports, the vast majority of the returning individuals had crossed into Libya unlawfully.

They had been deceived by human smuggling networks offering passage to European shores via highly hazardous maritime corridors.

During their stay in Libya, a significant number of these travelers reportedly endured severe hardships, including kidnapping and physical abuse.

Upon arrival in Dhaka, the group was met by representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, the IOM, and other related state departments.

To deter others from falling victim to similar schemes, the Foreign Ministry appealed to the repatriated citizens to openly discuss the ordeals they faced, thereby building public awareness around the severe dangers associated with human trafficking and unauthorized travel.

To ease their immediate transition and reintegration, the IOM provided each of the returning citizens with financial transit allowances, food provisions, basic medical checkups, and short-term housing where required.

The Foreign Ministry added that it remains in active coordination with the Bangladeshi diplomatic mission in Libya, the Expatriates' Welfare Ministry, and the IOM to arrange the orderly and safe return of other Bangladeshi nationals currently held in various Libyan containment centers.