Amid ongoing strikes by the United States and Israel in Iran, the Bangladesh government has taken an emergency decision to repatriate several hundred Bangladeshi nationals from the country.

Under the initial plan, around 200 Bangladeshis are set to return to Dhaka on March 19 via Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.

Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman confirmed the matter, saying they will be brought back to Dhaka on a special flight from Azerbaijan.

Officials said Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Turkey, M. Amanul Haque, is being sent to Azerbaijan to supervise the process. He stated that interested citizens will first travel overland from Iran to Azerbaijan, crossing the Iraq border, and then be flown to Bangladesh on a chartered Biman flight.

According to senior Foreign Ministry officials, the decision to bring back Bangladeshi nationals was taken in principle during the second week of March. Preparations have since been underway to return embassy staff, diplomats, officials, employees, and their families, along with other citizens. A list of around 300 people has been prepared.

The repatriation will be carried out in two phases. In the first phase, about 200 people will return on March 19. However, embassy diplomats, officials, and their families will not be included in this initial group.

Due to the ongoing conflict, Iran’s embassy operations in Azerbaijan were suspended earlier this month. As a result, Bangladesh’s embassy in Turkey is coordinating with Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry. At the same time, the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi is working with Azerbaijani authorities to secure necessary permissions, including visas.

Sources said Azerbaijan has already approved visa-on-arrival for 274 Bangladeshis in two batches.

It is also reported that not all returnees have passports. Those without valid documents have been issued travel passes by the Bangladesh Embassy in Tehran.

Ambassador Amanul Haque added that formal communication has been made with Azerbaijani authorities to ensure quick visa approval so that Bangladeshi citizens can cross the border safely and move to secure locations without delay.