28 Bangladeshis leave Tehran for Pakistan amid post-conflict evacuation

A group of 28 Bangladeshis left Tehran for Pakistan today, marking the first batch to be evacuated following the recent Iran-Israel conflict.

Initially, 90 Bangladeshis had expressed their wish to return home, but with the 12-day conflict now over and a ceasefire in place, normalcy is gradually returning to Tehran, which had seen mass evacuations during Israeli airstrikes, foreign ministry officials said.

"Of the 90, the 28 began their journey on Wednesday noon by bus towards Pakistan. They will stay overnight near the Pakistan border and then head to Karachi," a foreign ministry official told The Daily Star.

The group includes patients and their attendants, students, and an official from the Bangladesh Embassy in Tehran, he said.

Once in Karachi, they are expected to fly to Bangladesh, most likely via Dubai, depending on flight availability. "They may arrive in Dhaka by June 29 or 30," the official added.

According to the foreign ministry, about 2,000 Bangladeshis currently reside in Iran, including approximately 400 in Tehran. Amid Israeli air raids, Bangladeshi embassy staff, their families, and other citizens sought shelter either within or outside the capital.

While countries like India and Pakistan evacuated their nationals soon after the war began on June 13, Bangladesh faced challenges in launching a similar evacuation effort. Hotline numbers were set up to help citizens reach the embassy.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Iran, Manjurul Karim Khan Chowdhury, also had to move to a safe location, as his residence was situated in a sensitive area.

"With the situation now stabilising in Iran, many Bangladeshis in Tehran who initially wanted to return are reconsidering, opting instead for commercial flights," the foreign ministry official said.

He said the United Nations and the Red Crescent are providing logistical support, while the Bangladesh government is funding the repatriation process.