Approximately 5,000 Bangladeshi migrant workers in Lebanon have lost their jobs and face a dire situation after recent Israeli attacks, a rights group said on Wednesday. The Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) warned that many of the workers are homeless and urgently need relocation, support or repatriation.
Tasneem Siddiqui, Executive Director of RMMRU, told ANI that “in Lebanon, due to the Israeli attack, about 5,000 Bangladeshi workers have lost their jobs and are actually in a dangerous situation. They are now homeless.” She urged authorities to arrange relocation, other employment options, or bring the workers back to Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh government strongly condemned the violence in southern Lebanon after two Bangladeshi nationals were killed. The Foreign Ministry identified the deceased as Shafiqul Islam of Satkhira Sadar and Md Nahidul Islam Nahid of Ashashuni, both from Satkhira district. The ministry said the Bangladesh Embassy in Lebanon is coordinating with local authorities to complete repatriation formalities and is in touch with the victims’ families. It reiterated concern over civilian casualties and called for maximum restraint and adherence to international humanitarian law.
The recent escalation across the region has affected Bangladeshi migrants beyond Lebanon. Following Israeli and US strikes on Iran on February 28, an immediate crisis unfolded in parts of West Asia. Authorities report that, so far, 11 Bangladeshis have died in the area. About 5 million Bangladeshis work in West Asian countries; in 2025 those workers sent home roughly USD 15.07 billion in remittances.
RMMRU stressed that the situation is particularly precarious for female domestic workers in Lebanon, who are often confined to their employers’ homes and unable to leave. Siddiqui said one woman, named Dipali, aged 34, has been reported killed; reports indicate she had only recently traveled for work. The status of many other female workers remains unknown.
Bangladesh has begun evacuating citizens from Iran amid the instability. With IOM assistance, a charter flight via Azerbaijan repatriated 186 Bangladeshis on March 19–20. On April 11, the Bangladesh Embassy arranged travel for 14 more citizens.
Siddiqui also noted broader economic and labor impacts: the flow of workers from Bangladesh to Arab countries has roughly halved compared with last year. Factories affected by the attacks have found that nearby US military bases could not guarantee security; many firms are urgently shifting operations to Turkey. As a result, displaced Bangladeshi workers will need access to new labor markets and employment pathways.
(This report draws on material from a syndicated news feed.)
