Crisis team formed to support migrants in war-torn Middle East: Expat Minister

Dhaka: The government has formed a special crisis team to assist Bangladeshi migrants affected by the ongoing Iran–Israel conflict (2026) in the Middle East, Expatriates’ Welfare Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury said on Monday.

The minister made the remarks while briefing journalists after receiving the body of a Bangladeshi expatriate killed in the conflict at Osmani International Airport in Sylhet.

According to the minister, the crisis team was formed immediately after the outbreak of the war following instructions from Sheikh Hasina. The team includes representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Bangladesh), Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, and Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.

He said the team is working to support Bangladeshi migrants who are unable to leave their homes due to the conflict by arranging food assistance, medical treatment for the injured, and other emergency services. Bangladeshi missions abroad have also been instructed to relocate expatriates living near United States military bases to safer locations, he added.

The minister urged expatriates to remain patient, assuring that the government is fully prepared to respond to the evolving situation and will take further measures if the conflict prolongs. He also noted that Bangladeshi migrants in Lebanon are receiving various forms of support through the International Labour Organization.

Earlier in the day, the body of expatriate Ahmed Ali, who was killed during the conflict while living in Dubai, arrived in Sylhet. The minister received the body at the airport before accompanying it to the victim’s hometown in Barlekha Upazila of Moulvibazar District for burial.