DHAKA: A batch of 47 Bangladeshi nationals, earlier trafficked to Thailand by sea, was brought back home Monday evening by a Biman Bangladesh airlines flight.

The flight landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in city at 7.30pm.

Among the returnees, 10 from Jessore, nine from Sunamganj, nine from Sirajganj, six from Jhenaidah, two from Narsingdi, Mymensingh, Meherpur, and Cox’s Bazar each, and one from Tangail, Faridpur, Shariatpur, Madaripur, and Bogra districts each, says a press release issued by foreign ministry.

Sources said Bangladesh embassy in Bangkok initiated fast-track repatriation of stranded Bangladeshi nationals from Thailand.

The repatriation of the 47 Bangladeshi nationals was fully sponsored by the Bangladesh government, which has provided airfare, transportation from Suan Plu Immigration Detention Centre, Bangkok to Suvarnabhumi Airport and other expenses.

Bangladesh ambassador to Thailand Saida Muna Tasneem has been working in close cooperation with Thai government to ensure successive repatriation of some more batches of 197 verified Bangladeshis by end-June 2015.

The Bangladesh embassy in Bangkok, with the support from Bangladesh foreign affairs and home affairs ministries and Thailand ministry of foreign affairs and Thai Immigration Bureau, has so far repatriated 872 Bangladeshis trafficked to Thailand since late 2013.

The embassy also repatriated 33 Bangladeshi nationals since the unearthing of mass grave along the Thailand-Malaysia border on May 1 of 2015.

Meantime, since the May 1 mass grave unearthing incident, Saida Muna Tasneem visited Songkhla province for the second time on June 10, 2015 with a consular team of the embassy to interview and inquire about the well-being of 117 self-identified Bangladeshis most of whom have been freshly rescued since early May.

Earlier on May 29, Bangladesh foreign secretary made a commitment at Bangkok meeting to bring back all Bangladeshis by one month.

The embassy has been working relentlessly to expedite return of all the stranded Bangladeshi nationals in Thailand at the shortest possible time, the release added.

BDST: 2114 HRS, JUN 15, 2015
SR/RR/SMS