The Bangladesh embassy in Iraq has advised expatriates to avoid traveling to troublesome areas in Iraq and maintain caution considering the ongoing insecurity and unsettling situation.
“The Bangladeshi expatriates have been requested not to travel anywhere except their workplaces and residences and to avoid all sorts of meeting and gatherings if there is no special necessity,” read the statement.
The embassy issued the instruction following a USA air strike in Baghdad on Friday that killed Qassem Soleimani, an Iran’s top military commander.
The embassy also decided to remain open round the clock to provide consular assistance to Bangladesh expatriates
Meanwhile, the government has been observing situation in Iraq keeping in consideration the likelihood of evacuating the Bangladeshis living in the country if required, according to officials familiar with the process.
The foreign ministry was in touch with the embassy of Bangladesh in Baghdad on Friday as situation got tensed after killing of Soleimani, a Bangladesh diplomat in Baghdad told the media.
Over 2 lakh Bangladeshis, mainly economic migrants, are now living in different Iraqi cities and towns for jobs, officials said.
Foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen said that they were in touch with the Bangladesh embassy in Iraq to find out details about the expatriate population in the country.
Bangladesh ambassador in Baghdad Abu Maksud M Forhad informed the foreign ministry that the Bangladeshis were safe so far till Friday afternoon.
There are risks of deterioration of situation in Iraq that might spread in other countries in the region where several million Bangladeshis work, officials said mentioning that Bangladesh had asked the West Asian countries to resolve problems among them through discussions to keep the region peaceful.
A senior expatriate ministry official said that they might request the foreign ministry for evacuating the Bangladeshis ‘if situation demands’.
