Lankans in Bangladesh write to President seeking assistance to return home

• Migrant workers in Bangladesh have made repeated appeals to arrange special flights for their repatriation
• Say most countries have already repatriated their nationals
• Say health facilities there will be inadequate to cope with increasing COVID-19 patients and fear possible civil unrest due to economic woes
• Lankans say they will bear cost of tickets and quarantine

A group of Sri Lankans in Bangladesh have written to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, seeking Government assistance for them to return to the country.

The group, consisting of Sri Lankan expatriates in Bangladesh, includes families and few short-term visitors, who were in the country mostly for business purposes.

“When the flights into Sri Lanka were stopped from 19-25 March, most of us had purchased our air tickets; and those who were on short visits with return tickets adjusted the tickets to return soon after the resumption of flights on 26 March. To our dismay, the travel ban had been extended multiple times now,” the letter said. A copy of the letter was released to the media.

The group said they have perceived matters at ground level in Bangladesh and fear that the medical facilities and the processes used will be unable to handle the COVID-19 threat and are concerned that due to the likely economic fallout due to job losses, there could be civil unrest, looting, etc.

“Most of the organisations we work for have already closed operations, while a handful are discussing a three- to four-week partial lockdown. Other than food and pharmaceuticals, almost all other businesses here in Bangladesh are closed. Further, considering the last few weeks, more than 500 COVID-19 patients have been recorded on a daily basis, and this is continuously increasing,” the Group said.

They said most countries have already repatriated their citizens or are in the process of doing so due to this threat.

“As we are in an exceedingly uncertain and insecure situation, we think it most prudent to return to Sri Lanka, where we would be safe,” they said, while thanking the Government for its admirable and effective approach towards tackling the pandemic and the country’s exceptional medical service.

The group said they will bear the expenses for transport and PCR tests, and will comply with the quarantine requirements at tourist hotels so as not to put additional pressure on quarantine centres.

“Our wish is to not burden the Government and public resources. We have already self-quarantined for over five weeks in Bangladesh as well, and we are sure none of us are infected. This can be reconfirmed by checking the PCR tests done on the 73 Sri Lanka students and other officials who were repatriated on the 27 April,” the letter added.

They appealed to the President to consider the request and to arrange for passage back to Sri Lanka.