A Bangladeshi citizen (R) carries baggage on a trolley upon arrival from Lebanon at Hazrat Shahjalal Worldwide Airport in Dhaka on Monday (October 21, 2024). | Photograph credit score: AFP
The primary Bangladeshi introduced dwelling after fleeing Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon described the fixed concern of dwelling in a metropolis rocked by explosions.
Late on Monday (October 21, 2024), the primary 54 of about 1,800 Bangladeshis who wished to flee the troubled Mediterranean nation flew again to Dhaka on a government-backed flight.
Some deserted long-established lives in Lebanon for a deeply unsure financial future at dwelling.
Bangladesh’s International Ministry estimates that between 70,000 and 100,000 of its residents are working in Lebanon, many as day laborers or home employees.
For Abul Kashem, 68, who lived in Beirut, Lebanon’s coastal capital, for almost 4 a long time, together with in the course of the intense combating of the civil struggle, the barrage of assaults that started final month was in contrast to something he had ever seen. seen earlier than.
“I’ve by no means seen a struggle like this,” mentioned Kashem, who labored at a fuel station earlier than it was decreased to rubble.
“Every thing across the gas pump the place I labored has been destroyed,” he mentioned, after arriving exhausted on a aircraft chartered by the United Nations Worldwide Group for Migration.
Israel dramatically escalated its air marketing campaign in opposition to the Lebanese group Hezbollah final month. It has since launched a floor offensive geared toward driving the group from its northern border.
Hezbollah has been firing 1000’s of projectiles into Israel over the previous yr, displacing tens of 1000’s of Israelis.
‘So intense’
Bangladeshi employees, struggling to earn cash to ship dwelling to their households in South Asia, had been caught in a battle that erupted round them.
“5 buildings close to my residence had been demolished,” mentioned Mohammad Hossain (28), who returned from Beirut along with his spouse and one-year-old child.
“The assaults had been very intense,” he added. “The automobiles are nearly melting.”
Almost a month of all-out struggle has killed not less than 1,489 folks in Lebanon, report says AFP tally of figures from the Lebanese Ministry of Well being.
Bangladesh Enterprise normal The newspaper reported that not less than 5 Bangladeshi residents had been among the many injured, whereas 1000’s of individuals fled the border areas with Israel north towards Lebanon.
“I really feel excellent after returning to my dwelling nation,” Hossain mentioned, talking as family members hugged the returnees, a few of them crying.
“When the aircraft left the airport in Lebanon, I instantly felt peace in my thoughts,” he added.
Returnees should now discover work from home, as Bangladesh undergoes a political transition after a student-led revolution toppled former autocratic chief Sheikh Hasina from energy on August 5, 2024.
Their households will deeply miss their lack of revenue in a nation the place greater than 5 p.c of GDP comes from private remittances, based on the World Financial institution.
Bangladesh’s international ministry, which mentioned Dhaka will bear the prices of the flights, added that 65 extra residents would return on Tuesday (Oct 22, 2024).
Ruma Khatun, 30, mentioned she had first fled to Beirut to hunt refuge, however mentioned she did not really feel secure there both, so she was one of many first to enroll to go away.
“The state of affairs may be very unhealthy,” he mentioned. “As we took off from Lebanon… we heard the sound of a bombing.”
Revealed – October 23, 2024 11:04 am IST
