Riyadh:Dhaka State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam today received the body of Bangladeshi worker Md Shahed Ahmed, who was killed in the October 10 attack at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The body arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 835 am.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Shama noted the swift repatriation of the body was due to coordinated efforts by several ministries, including the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment. She stated that Md Shahed Ahmed was from Shahjahanpur in Bogura and had two children. This marks the 11th deceased expatriate repatriated since the Middle East conflict began.
Expressing sympathy for the family, the state minister mentioned that a Taka 50,000 grant from the expatriates' welfare ministry was provided, along with a free ambulance to transport the body to his village. She highlighted that over four million Bangladeshis reside in Saudi Arabia, which raises concerns whenever incidents occur.
In response to inquiries about two Bangladeshis recently executed in Saudi Arabia, Shama confirmed that the government had sent an official letter to Saudi authorities. She explained that every country has its judicial system, and procedures must be followed for repatriation. The incident related to the executed individuals occurred in 2023.
The state minister also revealed that approximately 7,500 Bangladeshis are imprisoned in various countries. The ministry actively seeks ways to assist citizens sentenced abroad. Shama advised Bangladeshis aiming for overseas employment to familiarize themselves with the legal systems of their destination countries.
Regarding recruitment costs, Shama acknowledged that brokers were inflating expenses for migrant workers. She mentioned that the prime minister had instructed her to investigate this issue.