Two Bangladeshis were killed and another 24 injured in an attack by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi armed group at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. The identities of all 26 Bangladeshi victims have been confirmed.
According to sources at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, the two people killed were Shahed Ahmed and Nasrullah Badarpuri.
Shahed was from Madla village in Shahjahanpur upazila of Bogura. His father’s name was Rafiqul Islam and his mother’s name was Shahera Begum. He worked as a plumber on a project in Jeddah for a Saudi contracting company and held a valid residence permit, known as an iqama. After spending leave in Bangladesh following his brother’s death, he was returning to his workplace in Jeddah via Riyadh.
Nasrullah was from Badarpur village in Nangalkot upazila of Cumilla. His father was Mohammad Ullah and his mother was Jahanara Begum. He had travelled to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah and was waiting at the airport to travel from Riyadh to Jeddah.
24 Bangladeshis Receiving Treatment in Hospitals
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, citing the Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh, 11 of the 24 injured Bangladeshis were working in Saudi Arabia, while 13 had travelled there on Umrah visas. They are receiving treatment at various hospitals in Riyadh.
The Bangladesh Embassy is in contact with hospital authorities to collect detailed information about the injured and ensure they receive medical care.
King Abdullah Hospital
Three Bangladeshis are receiving treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) of this hospital: Hafez Hasan, Kazi Nurullah and Md Omar Faruk.
Hafez Hasan is from Purba Rasulpur in Kamrangirchar, Dhaka. His father is Ishak and his mother is Kamala Begum. He had travelled to Saudi Arabia on an Umrah visa and was waiting at the airport in Riyadh to travel to Jeddah during a transit stop.
Kazi Nurullah is from Ghatura village in Brahmanbaria Sadar upazila. His father is Kazi Zainal Mia and his mother is Shiuli Begum. He had also travelled to Saudi Arabia on an Umrah visa and was waiting at the airport to travel from Riyadh to Jeddah during transit.
Md Omar Faruk is a Bangladeshi working in Saudi Arabia. He was at the airport to travel from Riyadh to Jeddah for work.
Embassy representatives have met the three men, and their conditions have been reported as stable.
Riyadh National Guard Hospital
Two Bangladeshis are receiving treatment here: Saffat Rahman and Md Daudul Islam. Saffat is unconscious.
Saffat is from Badarpur village in Raninagar upazila of Naogaon. His father is Mokhlesar Rahman and his mother is Rokeya Begum.
Daudul is from Badarpur village in Nangalkot upazila of Cumilla. His father is Md Mohib Ullah and his mother is Rokeya Begum.
Both had travelled to Saudi Arabia on Umrah visas and were waiting at the airport in Riyadh to travel to Jeddah during transit.
Riyadh Medical Hospital
Two Bangladeshis are receiving treatment at this hospital: Md Saidul Islam Sourav and Abul Mansur Md Riaz Uddin.
Saidul is from the Amligola area of Lalbagh, Dhaka. His father is Md Abdul Hai and his mother is Rahima Begum.
Abul Mansur Md Riaz Uddin is from Janata Housing in Mirpur, Dhaka. His father is Md Abul Fazal and his mother is Tajkera Begum.
Both had travelled to Saudi Arabia on Umrah visas and were waiting at the airport in Riyadh to travel to Jeddah during transit.
Prince Sultan Military Hospital
One Bangladeshi, Md Abdullah, is receiving treatment here. He is from Purba Boxnagar in the Demra area of Dhaka. His father is Md Mokhtar Ahmed and his mother is Fazilatun Nesa. He had travelled to Saudi Arabia on an Umrah visa.
Sulaiman Al Habib Hospital, Takhassusi Branch
Three Bangladeshis are receiving treatment at this hospital: Arman Hossain, Mohammad and Faisal Ahmed Abdul Haque.
Arman is from the Ibrahimnagar area of Kamrangirchar, Dhaka. His father is Mojibul Haque and his mother is Shamsun Nahar. He had travelled to Saudi Arabia on an Umrah visa.
Mohammad and Faisal are Bangladeshis working in Saudi Arabia. Both held iqamas, or residence and work permits.
Kingdom Hospital
One Bangladeshi, Rafiq Mia, is receiving treatment here. He works in Saudi Arabia and holds an iqama.
King Fahad Medical City
Three Bangladeshis are receiving treatment here: Ismail Hossain, Misbah Uddin Hira and Raihanul Islam.
Ismail and Raihanul work in Saudi Arabia. Detailed information about Misbah Uddin Hira was not available.
Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Hospital
Five Bangladeshis are receiving treatment at this hospital: Salma Akter, Shahadat Hossain, Moshad Ahmed Saikat, Zahid Ahmed and Sobe Sadeq Md Shahjahan Sarkar.
All five work in Saudi Arabia and hold iqamas.
Aster Sanad Hospital
Two Bangladeshis, Asadul Islam and Jamal, are receiving treatment here. Asadul works in Saudi Arabia.
No further details were available about Md Jamal.
Sulaiman Fakeeh Hospital
One Bangladeshi, Nazma Akter, is reportedly receiving treatment at this hospital. However, no information about her could be confirmed.
Sulaiman Al Habib Hospital, Al Sahafa Branch
Two Bangladeshis, Umair and Abdullah Kamil, are receiving treatment here.
The embassy is continuing its efforts to collect detailed information about the injured and ensure they receive appropriate medical care.
Around 500 Bangladeshi passengers stranded
Disruptions to flight operations following the attack left around 500 Bangladeshi passengers stranded at Riyadh airport. They included passengers who had travelled from Bangladesh to Saudi Arabia, people visiting to perform Umrah, and travellers waiting for domestic and international flights to various destinations.
According to ministry sources, the Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh, with assistance from airport authorities, Saudi immigration officials and the relevant airlines, arranged accommodation, food and alternative travel for stranded passengers.
According to the embassy, accommodation and meals were arranged at the Marriott and Radisson hotels and a residential hall at Princess Nourah University for around 100 passengers at Terminal 3.
In addition, 67 people who had travelled from Bangladesh to perform Umrah and were wearing ihram garments were transported from Riyadh to Jeddah on special buses.
Around 400 Bangladeshi passengers booked on Saudia Airlines flight SV804 from Riyadh to Dhaka, which was cancelled, are being sent home via King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.
Meanwhile, the embassy helped two Bangladeshi employees of Saudia Airlines travelling from Riyadh to Bahrain reach Bahrain through the land border at Al Khobar.