136 Bangladeshis back from Sudan

A total of 136 Bangladeshi nationals, who were among those stranded in crisis-hit Sudan, arrived in Dhaka via Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah on Monday.

A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight carrying the Bangladeshis left Jeddah at around 1 am and landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at around 10:30am, officials confirmed.

In a joint effort, the government and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) successfully repatriated the first group of Bangladeshis stranded in various locations across Sudan, said an IOM press release.

The ongoing conflict in Sudan has left many Bangladeshi expatriates affected and in a precarious situation. In response, the Foreign Ministry with the support of its missions in Sudan and Jeddah, the Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry and IOM have taken the initiative to repatriate them.

This group of 136 Bangladeshis, which is the first of over 680 Bangladeshis to safely return home, were supported by IOM with air tickets through its internal emergency assistance funding mechanisms to travel from Jeddah to Dhaka with coordinated support from Biman.

Upon arrival, the returnees were provided with hot meals, refreshments and onward transportation allowance from the Wage Earners' Welfare Board (Tk 3,000) and IOM (Tk 2,000), facilitating their safe return back to their homes.

Welcoming the returnees at the airport, Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmed said, “Don't worry. You have contributed significantly to our country, but unfortunately, you've lost everything in Sudan. Now, each of you is returning empty-handed. Rest assured, we are here to help and support you.”

“The government will provide all possible financial assistance, and IOM will be offering their support as well. Our primary goal is to alleviate any inconvenience you may face during this difficult time,” he added.

Fathima Nusrath Ghazzali, the officer in charge of IOM Bangladesh, reiterated the organisation’s commitment to supporting the Bangladesh government in this humanitarian effort. "Our priority is the safety and well-being of these vulnerable individuals. We are fully committed to working with the government to ensure a smooth and efficient repatriation process."

Truce talks see no progress

Meanwhile, air strikes again shook Sudan's capital on Monday while the latest truce talks in Jeddah yielded no progress, with a Saudi diplomat saying both sides consider themselves “capable of winning the battle” and a permanent ceasefire is not on the table, reports AFP.

Sudan was thrown into deadly chaos when fighting broke out on April 15 between the forces of army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy-turned-rival Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who heads the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

The battles have since killed more than 750 people and injured over 5,000, according to a count by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, and left millions barricaded inside their homes amid dire shortages of water, food and basic supplies.

The feuding generals have sent representatives to Saudi Arabia for talks on establishing a humanitarian truce in an effort also backed by the United States, but to no avail so far.