In response to escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, Bangladesh has initiated the relocation of its embassy personnel and citizens from Tehran amid mounting security concerns.
Addressing a press briefing on Tuesday, Acting Foreign Secretary Ruhul Alam Siddique said 400 out of approximately 2,000 Bangladeshi nationals currently residing in Iran are based in Tehran.
“We are especially concerned for those in Tehran, where the risk of being caught in the ongoing conflict is significantly higher. Our priority is to ensure the safety of both our diplomatic staff and the Bangladeshi community,” Ruhul Alam Siddique said.
The acting foreign secretary confirmed that individuals in Tehran have been advised to move to safer locations. A formal evacuation effort is already in progress.
So far, about 100 Bangladeshi nationals have reached out to the embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hotline, expressing their intention to be evacuated. Besides, around 40 embassy officials are being relocated as part of the safety measures.
Ruhul Alam said the officials and staff of the Bangladesh Embassy in Tehran, along with their families, are facing a severe threat.
“We have advised the Bangladeshis residing in Tehran and embassy personnel to relocate to safety. Arrangements have been made to temporarily move them to a safer location outside Tehran. We will complete all necessary measures to relocate them, along with embassy officials and their families, to a safe place,” he said.
“The current decision is that they should move to a place far enough from Tehran where they can remain safe. At this moment, there is no arrangement for leaving Iran. Air communication is suspended, and traveling by land may be possible, but it would not be safe. Hence, we have instructed them to move to a safe location outside Tehran,” he added.
Speaking about the government’s next steps following relocation, the acting foreign secretary said they are arranging temporary rented accommodation for them. “Later on, we will help them if they wish to move to Pakistan or Turkey.”
Chancery building at risk, ambassador in safe place
Amid Israeli attacks, the Chancery building of the Bangladesh Embassy in Tehran is at risk, as is the ambassador’s residence. However, the ambassador left his residence and moved to a safer location on Monday night, said Ruhul Alam.
Highlighting the embassy’s functioning, he said the embassy continues to provide services even amid this wartime situation. A hotline has also been launched for Bangladeshis.
“The embassy is constantly providing updates on the ongoing conflict and how other countries are evacuating their nationals.”
Impact on Bangladesh
The acting foreign secretary warned that the Iran-Israel war shows no signs of ending soon and that its consequences could be extremely harmful to Bangladesh.
He said, “We already know the outcome of this war could be very damaging for us. We have seen the prolonged impact of the war in Ukraine and how much it affected us. The Middle East is economically very important to us. I believe this situation could be extremely detrimental for us.
Migrant workers there may lose their jobs. Even if the war ends, whether the environment will allow them to stay is questionable. So far, there is no clear indication that the war will end soon. We urge the international community to act quickly to stop this conflict and restore peace in the Middle East. Otherwise, the consequences could be disastrous.”
Challenges in sending money
Future relocation would be difficult as fund transfers seem almost impossible due to disrupted banking channels.
The acting foreign secretary said, “It is very difficult to send money. We are trying to transfer the necessary funds, but the banking system there is not functional, causing delays. The relocation process has already begun and requires a significant amount of money, which we are trying to send.”
Bd-pratidin English/FNC
