300 Bangladeshis still stuck in Ukraine
So far, 550 Bangladesh nationals have left Ukraine, mostly to Poland, since the Russian invasion
At least 300 Bangladeshis, who are trying to flee Ukraine to a safer location in neighboring EU states, are still stuck in the war-torn country.
Anirban Niogi, a Bangladesh Embassy official in Poland, told The Business Standard (TBS) on Thursday afternoon, "Currently, I am at the Poland-Ukraine border and we are trying to help Bangladeshi citizens to leave Ukraine."
"Till Thursday morning, around 550 Bangladeshis had left Ukraine, mostly to Poland, since Russia started an invasion. Most Bangladeshis who have reached Poland have gone to their respective destinations and only a small number are staying in a dormitory arranged by the Bangladesh Embassy in Poland," he added.
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Explaining his experience, Anirban said, "Many Bangladeshis who crossed the border are sick from walking long distances."
The Bangladesh Embassy in Poland has arranged special bus services for Bangladeshis who reached Medyka, a southeastern border town of Poland, from war-torn Ukraine. Bangladeshis living in Poland also stand beside people from their home country.
The Bangladesh Embassy in Poland has posted a Facebook page for Bangladeshis who are entering Poland from Ukraine.
"Shuttle bus services from the Medyka border to Przemyśl town operate regularly. Bangladeshi citizens who entered Poland crossing this border are requested to board shuttle buses to Przemyśl town as soon as possible. From there, they have to go to Warsaw by train. The Polish government has arranged a shelter house in Warsaw where they can stay briefly," reads the post.
Bangladesh does not currently have an embassy or a consulate in Ukraine. The country's embassy in Poland acts as Ukraine's de-facto diplomatic mission.
As the number of people fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine reaches the one million-mark, more and more European countries have offered to take in refugees. Among them are Hungary and Greece, which are otherwise known for their tough stance on migration, reports InfoMigrants.
More than 874,000 refugees have fled the conflict in Ukraine and sought safety in other countries from the Russian invasion, according to the UN refugee agency UNHCR.
Another million people are estimated to be internally displaced, according to UNHCR.
Most refugees are currently in one of the five countries that neighbor Ukraine's west, that is Poland, Hungary, Romania, Moldova, and Slovakia.
However, some 70,000 people have arrived in European countries that do not share a border with Ukraine, like Germany, Italy, or Greece, according to UNHCR.
