Under a joint repatriation initiative, a group of 174 Bangladeshi citizens previously held at the Ganfuda Detention Centre in Benghazi, Libya, landed in Dhaka early Tuesday.

A press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the returnees arrived at around 6 am on a chartered Buraq Air flight.

The evacuation operation was coordinated by the Foreign Ministry, the Bangladesh Embassy in Libya and the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, with technical and logistical support from the Libyan government and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

According to the official statement, the majority of the individuals were lured into entering Libya through irregular channels by human traffickers promising sea passage to Europe.

Throughout their stay in the North African country, several victims endured severe hardships, including abduction and physical torture.

Representatives from the Foreign Ministry, partner ministries, and the IOM were present at the airport to receive the returning citizens.

During the reception, foreign ministry officials called on the returnees to speak openly about their ordeals in order to educate the public and warn vulnerable communities against the grave risks of human trafficking and illegal migration.

To assist with their immediate reintegration, the IOM provided each individual with financial aid for onward travel, food rations, basic medical care, and temporary lodging where required.

The Foreign Ministry added that joint diplomatic and humanitarian efforts alongside the Bangladesh Embassy in Libya, the Expatriates' Welfare Ministry and the IOM remain ongoing to secure the safe return of other Bangladeshi nationals currently stranded in various detention facilities across Libya.