DHAKA: Ten more Bangladeshis, who went to neighbouring Djibouti from war-torn Yemen, reached Hazrat Shajalal International Airport in Dhaka Saturday evening.

The stranded Bangladeshis, who have returned by a Qatar Airways jet, landed at the airport around 6:50pm. The number of returned Bangladeshis rose to 21.

International Organization for Migration (IOM) officials interviewed the returned Bangladeshis at the airport.

However, none of the foreign ministry officials were seen at the airport to receive 10 returnees.

On April 10, 11 Bangladeshis, including eight women, returned Bangladesh from war-torn Yemen by an Emirates Airlines flight.

The senior officials of the foreign ministry led by additional secretary Mizanur Rahman received them.

The foreign ministry issued a press release in this regard in that evening.

Meanwhile, the foreign secretary M Shahidul Haque on Saturday afternoon said with the help of Indian ships, Bangladesh foreign ministry evacuated a total of its 360 nationals from Yemen so far.

He further said among them, Indian Navy ship rescued 340 and the rest 20 Bangladeshis reached Djibouti by Air India flight.

He also said rest of the Bangladeshi citizens will be brought to Indian port city Kochi of Kerala state first and from there to Bangladesh.

Shahidul Haque also said so far 553 persons registered to return to Bangladesh.

Responding to a question, the foreign secretary said, “We have alternative methods to rescue our citizens though India has completed their rescue operation.”

“We have contacted various organizations that agreed on helping us,” he added.

According the sources, some 1,500 to 3,000 Bangladeshis were staying in Yemen. However, all of them are not willing to return home despite the war.

BDST: 2330 HRS, APR 11, 2015
SR/SMS