Bangladesh Government Site It is not only shocking but also shameful that the government has made no mention of the areas of the war-torn Libya which have large concentrations of Bangladesh nationals while informing the US authorities about the addresses of Bangladesh’s ‘ diplomatic and other locations’ inside Libya to keep them out of US-led air strikes. It also tends to betray the apathy of the Awami League-Jatiya Party government to the safety and security of the expatriate Bangladeshis in general. According to a report front-paged in New Age on Friday, quoting a government official, the foreign ministry has given the US embassy in Dhaka on Thursday, in response to the latter’s request to inform it about Bangladesh’s diplomatic and other locations inside Libya so that they can be spared of the military campaigns launched by it and other western forces, only three addresses that include the Bangladesh embassy in Tripoli and the residences of the Bangladesh ambassador and another official there. Even the US authorities, who are very much used to killing people, for their sheer self- interests, across the globe have reportedly got surprised to see such an indifference of the Bangladesh government towards the safety of its nationals. It may be pertinent to note that as many as 60 ,000 Bangladesh nationals got stranded Libya when the civil war broke out in February following the conflict between the supporters and opponents of the Gaddafi regime in the country. With the rising demand of the people in general and the families of the stranded expatriate workers some 31 ,441 of them have been repatriated thus far by the government with the assistance of the employers concerned and different international agencies. Besides, around 1600 more are languishing on the borders of Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt with Libya. Overall, 27 ,000 Bangladesh nationals are now exposed to the western military campaigns against Libya. It is needless to point out that from the very beginning of the trouble allegations have been there that the incumbent government is indifferent about the safety and security of the Bangladesh nationals stranded there. The revelation in question only substantiates such allegations. In line with the constitution and, also their pre- election pledge, the incumbents are bound to do everything with regards to ensuring safety and security of all the Bangladesh nationals, at home and abroad. Hence, the government needs to immediately take steps necessary for the safety and security of the Bangladesh nationals in Libya, not to mention requesting the relevant US authorities to spare the locations that have the concentration of Bangladesh nationals so that they are spared from the Western military campaign against the Gaddafi regime.
