More than 500 Bangladeshis detained in Libya for trying to enter Europe illegally

Libyan police have detained more than 500 Bangladeshis off the Mediterranean coast last Saturday (April 23rd) as they were preparing to cross into Europe, said Maj. Gen. SM Shamim Uz Zaman, Bangladesh's ambassador to Libya. They wanted to cross into Europe illegally via Libya in the hope of changing fortunes.

"Initially, the Libyan police reportedly detained 500 Bangladeshis," he said. But so far we have been able to communicate with only 240 people. It has now become a daily occurrence.

Meanwhile, nine people were killed in a boat sinking off the coast of Libya on Monday (April 25). The citizenship of their country has not been confirmed yet.