Forty-one of the 174 Bangladeshis repatriated from Libya early yesterday were physically ill, while 36 had been held at a detention centre in Tripoli after being intercepted at sea, said Bangladesh embassy in Libya.
The returnees arrived in Dhaka at 5:40am via Buraq Air flight UZ-222, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Of the 174 returnees, 36 had been detained at the Tajoura detention centre in Tripoli after being intercepted at sea. The remaining 138 returned home voluntarily amid dangerous conditions in the Libyan capital, according to the embassy.
Most of the returnees had reportedly entered Libya with the help of human traffickers, intending to reach Europe across the Mediterranean Sea, the foreign ministry said. Some alleged that they had been abducted and tortured during their stay in Libya.
Bangladesh Ambassador to Libya Major General Md Habib Ullah met the returnees at the embassy before their departure and warned them about the risks of irregular migration.