At least 360 Bangladeshi nationals have been evacuated from war-torn Yemen to Djibouti until Saturday.
The government of Bangladesh plans to bring them to Cochin Port in Kerala of India from where they will return home by Biman's special flight.
"Allout measures are also being taken to bring back those who are still stranded in Yemen," said Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque while briefing reporters at his office on Saturday. If necessary, alternative measures will be taken, he added.
The ministry of foreign affairs (MoFA) convened the press briefing to inform the press of the latest situation on Bangladeshis stranded in Yemen.
"We are ready to do everything. If necessary, we will rent ships to evacuate the nationals from war-torn Yemen as India has already called off its rescue operations," said the foreign secretary.
But the situation turned so volatile that even the ships of IOM, the UN migration agency, couldn't touch the base. "However, we are trying our best to rescue the stranded Bangladeshis," Mr Haque added.
Meanwhile, a group of 11 Bangladeshis, including eight women and children, arrived in Dhaka on Friday from Djibouti by an Emirates flight.
"Ten more Bangladeshis are expected to reach Dhaka today by Fly Dubai airlines," said the foreign secretary. In the meantime, he said, 10 more Bangladeshis arrived in Djibouti Saturday from Yemeni port of Aden by Indian Naval Ship (INS).
The entire process of repatriation is being carried out at the behest of the Prime Minister and being conducted under the direct supervision of the foreign minister.
According to the ministry sources, about 2,500 Bangladeshi nationals are living in Yemen, but many of them are not interested to come back home.
Some 553 Bangladesh nationals have so far registered their names to come back home from Yemen. Of them, some 360 have been evacuated from Yemen to Djibouti. Of the total, 340 were rescued by Indian Naval Ship (INS) and 20 by Air India.
"The remaining Bangladeshis are now staying in Djibouti under the arrangement of the MoFA," Mr Haque said. The ministry has set up a control room in Djibouti to help conduct the repatriation process led by the Bangladesh ambassador in Kuwait.
When asked about a Bangladesh Foreign Service probationer who was caught red-handed while shoplifting in the Netherlands, he said actions are being taken against him.
He informed reporters that they were taking "appropriate measures" in line with service rules. "We have already begun the dismissal process," he added.
Regarding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to Indonesia, he said the Prime Minister will have a bilateral meeting with the Indonesian president. She will also have bilateral talks with some other head of the governments and states.
Hasina will visit Indonesia from April 21-24 to attend jubilant celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of a conference that eventually laid the foundation for the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
Indonesia will host the 60th anniversary of the Asia-Africa Conference as well as the 10th anniversary of the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership (NAASP) in Jakarta and Bandung from April 19-24.
Hasina will lead a high-level delegation comprising ministers, MPs, civil and military officials, but the number of the delegation is yet to be finalised.
mzrbd@yahoo.com
