Dhaka, May 08 (V7N) — The body of Bangladeshi expatriate Deepali Begum, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon during the ongoing Middle East conflict, was returned to Bangladesh on Thursday night after more than a month.

Her body arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, where it was handed over to family members in the presence of State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid and Acting Secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare Ahmadul Haque.

Speaking to reporters at the airport, the State Minister said the government is continuing efforts to repatriate the bodies of all Bangladeshi nationals who died abroad during the conflict.

According to the Foreign Ministry, eight Bangladeshis have so far been killed in the Middle East war. Of them, the bodies of six have already been brought back to Bangladesh, one victim was buried in Saudi Arabia, and another body remains in Iraq due to the suspension of available flights.

The government also announced a financial assistance package of Tk 1.3 million for Deepali Begum’s family. Authorities said efforts are also underway to rehabilitate expatriate workers who have lost jobs and returned home because of the conflict.

Earlier, on April 10, the Bangladesh Embassy in Lebanon confirmed that a Bangladeshi woman had been killed after an Israeli airstrike hit a residential building in Beirut.

The deceased, Deepali Begum, was the daughter of Sheikh Mofazzal and Rozina Khatun of Char Hajiganj village under Char Shalepur Union in Charbhadrasan upazila of Faridpur district.

END/SMA/AJ