Bangladesh embassy in Tehran at risk, everyone to be shifted soon

Despite the Israeli onslaught of Iran since Friday, the Bangladeshi citizens in the West Asian country are relatively safer. However, the Bangladesh embassy building in Tehran is at risk as it is situated within a kilometre of at least two of the Iran government’s sensitive installations, including the Research Institute for Nuclear Medicine at Tehran University.

The nuclear medicine facility has already become a target of Israeli attack.

This was said in a report the Bangladesh embassy sent to the foreign ministry on Monday morning, wishing not to be named, an official of the ministry confirmed this to Prothom Alo on Monday afternoon.

After receiving the report, the government made an immediate decision to shift all the embassy officials including the ambassador to a safer place. However, finding a safe and suitable place outside of Tehran in the current context has become tough.

The report the Iran mission sent to the foreign ministry said that Israel has been repeatedly trying to attack the nuclear medicine facility and another sensitive installation within a kilometre of the embassy building in Tehran. This has put the lives and property of the embassy officials at risk.

The report further said it has become essential to shift the families of the embassy officials and staff to a safer place at least 30-40 kilometres outside of the city.

The foreign ministry officials, quoting the Tehran embassy officials, informed this correspondent that nearly 2,000 Bangladeshi nationals, who have been living in the country, are still somewhat safe. Almost all of them have moved outside Tehran as Israel has targeted the capital city of Iran and asked the people to evacuate the city.

Stating that the government has been monitoring the Iran situation, the ministry officials also said they have been thinking about shifting the embassy activities to a third country.

The Tehran embassy report further said one of two most important IT centres in Tehran is situated near the Bangladesh embassy building. The centre could come under attack at any time.

There are 40 people including the ambassador, two officials, five employees and their family members. Apart from them, there are 27 people consisting of eight people working at Radio Tehran and their family members. There are 10-12 students and 10 professionals in Tehran.

Another 28 Bangladeshis were scheduled to return to the country but they got stranded as air travel was stopped. Overall, more than 100 Bangladeshis are there in Tehran, the foreign ministry came to know.

Various sources of the government said there are nearly 600 Bangladeshis, who have been living in multiple areas in Iran for the last 30 years. Some of them have even married and settled there. Another nearly 800 Bangladeshi nationals have been living in Iran illegally for more than 10 years and working in various sectors. Nearly 200 students are studying in various educational institutions.

The sources further said nearly 300-500 Bangladeshis always wait in Iran, a transit country for human trafficking, to go to another country.

The Bangladesh embassy in Iran has opened an emergency hotline service for the Bangladeshis living in the country, the embassy said in a special notice on Sunday.

It requested Bangladeshis to dial +989908577368 and 989122065745 (including WhatsApp) in case of any emergency.