Body of Bangladeshi worker killed in Saudi airport attack arrives home

The body of Bangladeshi expatriate worker Md. Shahed Ahmed, who lost his life in an attack at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has finally returned home. A US-Bangla Airlines flight carrying his coffin touched down at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Friday morning. The handover formalities were coordinated by airport officials, the expatriate welfare desk, and mourning relatives. Shahed, son of Rafiqul Islam, was a resident of Shajahanpur upazila in Bogura who had moved abroad to build a secure future for his family.

The fatal incident took place on October 10 when a missile strike, reportedly launched by Houthi forces, struck Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport. Among the twelve casualties reported in the strike were two Bangladeshi nationals, including Shahed, who was on duty at the airport. Following mandatory legal, consular, and forensic procedures in Saudi Arabia, his mortal remains departed King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah late Thursday evening, arriving in Dhaka the following morning.

According to official sources, the Bangladesh Embassy in Saudi Arabia is coordinating with local authorities to secure rightful compensation and benefits for the bereaved family. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam expressed deep grief over the tragedy, underscoring the growing threats faced by migrant workers in volatile Middle Eastern areas. She stated that over the past six months alone, bodies of eleven Bangladeshi expatriates killed in Middle Eastern military conflicts have been repatriated through state assistance.

The tragic demise of an innocent migrant laborer has prompted demands from civil society groups for stronger diplomatic protocols to safeguard overseas workers in high-risk zones. Following the receipt of the body at Dhaka airport, relatives departed for Shahed's ancestral village in Bogura, where arrangements were made for his final burial alongside family members.