Bangladesh has called for an end to the Iran war, with the South Asian nation having lost citizens owing to attacks in civilian areas in Gulf countries.
Six Bangladesh civilians have been killed in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain since the conflict began on February 28, as Iran launches missiles and drones towards its neighbours. The total number of Bangladesh citizens injured from the strikes in the GCC is 47, a Bangladesh government minister said.
Tehran says it is aiming at US interests in the region, in response to American and Israeli attacks on its territory, but in reality the lives of millions are being disrupted as civilian infrastructure is targeted. Moreover, the disruption is affecting millions who work in the Gulf and send home remittances.
Nurul Haque Nur, Bangladesh's Minister of State for Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment, said “this war is not limited to Iran, Israel and the US”.
“It’s impact is spread all over and is affecting the lives of our people,” Mr Nur told The National from Dhaka.
“We strongly urge Iran and also Israel and the US to stop this war and work through the path of negotiations. We call for this war to end so innocent people are not targeted. Ending this war will help the whole world.”
Trust shattered
The Gulf states have said trust with Iran was “completely shattered” after it launched deadly strikes on its neighbours. The region has faced a barrage of Iranian attacks on civilians, airports, ports and energy installations killing overseas workers and citizens.
About six million Bangladeshis work in the Middle East region. The Bangladesh civilians killed in the Iran strikes consist of three in Saudi Arabia – Bachchu Mia, Mosharraf Hossain and Mohammad Al Mamun – as well as Ahmad Ali and Mohammad Shah Bhuiyan in the UAE and SM Tareq in Bahrain, Mr Nur said.
He added that Mr Bhuiyan, struck by Iranian missile shrapnel at a farm in Fujairah on Wednesday, was the most recent death.
“We have lost six of our people in a month and we mourn them. The Middle East is a very important sector for us and we want to ensure the safety and protection of our people,” Mr Nur said.
“Our people go abroad to support their families and their deaths will badly affect their families. Innocent people are dying on both sides. It’s very painful for us to see. We request Iran, Israel and the US not to target common, innocent people, civilians and civilian areas.”
Stand in solidarity
Humaiun Kobir, foreign affairs adviser to Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, is visiting the Gulf to express the country's solidarity, Mr Nur said.
A letter from Mr Rahman will be handed to each government reiterating brotherly ties and affirming the support of the people of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is also deeply reliant on remittances from the Middle East, with citizens working overseas sending money every month to family back home.
Nearly half of Bangladesh’s more than $30 billion in annual remittance comes from the Gulf. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE and Oman account for 86 per cent of Bangladeshi migrant workers who secured jobs overseas last year, according to the Bangladesh Economic Review.
“The Middle East is important for us for foreign remittance and we worry about our people in this war,” Mr Nur said. “We need to address people’s concerns as a priority because we also face a crisis in the energy sector, in oil and gas.”
The Iran war has had a knock-on effect across the world with gas prices soaring, fertiliser shortages with shipments blocked due to Tehran’s stranglehold of the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation to Israeli and US bombing.
“Most countries are facing an energy crisis although they are not involved in the war and price hikes of all commodities,” Mr Nur said. “Destruction of energy in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia is affecting all nations and will bring nothing good for the rest of the world.
“It has already brought so much damage to countries like Bangladesh as we have lost people. We are appealing that this ends before the war puts even more pressure on small countries.”
