An additional 67 undocumented Bangladeshi nationals have been repatriated from the Maldives via the military flight of the Bangladesh Air Force.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated 67 Bangladeshis were repatriated on the Bangladesh Air Force flight which had arrived in the Maldives with food and medical supplies. The foreign ministry revealed all individuals who were repatriated on the military flight were undocumented workers who did not possess a valid visa to work in the Maldives.
The repatriation of an additional 67 Bangladeshis came just a day after 353 Bangladeshi workers were repatriated on Biman Bangladesh Airlines. The Bangladesh Air Force has also previously repatriated 68 undocumented workers on April 20, via a military flight operated to evacuate stranded Maldivians in Bangladesh and Nepal.
National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) earlier revealed plans to repatriate 500 undocumented Bangladeshi workers. NEOC stated the repatriation flights would be operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines and the national airline, Maldivian.
The government is in efforts to repatriate undocumented expatriate workers as they are being deprived of basic human rights due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and subjected to mistreatment.