Two Bangladeshi nationals were killed and 24 others were injured in a missile attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh announced on Sunday.
The injured individuals include 11 migrant workers and 13 Umrah pilgrims, who are currently receiving treatment at various hospitals across Riyadh. According to the embassy, three of the victims are in intensive care at King Abdullah Hospital, and all of their conditions are stable.
In a statement issued on Sunday night, the embassy announced that a missile struck Terminal 3 of the airport at approximately 3:15 a.m. on October 10. According to preliminary information, the attack left 12 people dead and 309 others injured. The casualties included two Bangladeshi citizens killed and 24 injured.
The embassy stated it was maintaining contact with hospital authorities to monitor the condition of the injured Bangladeshis. A delegation from the mission visited three Bangladeshis receiving intensive care at King Abdullah Hospital: Hafez Hasan of Dhaka, Kazi Nurullah of Brahmanbaria, and Md Omar Faruk, a migrant worker in Saudi Arabia. Their conditions are stable. Two other Bangladeshis, Safqat Rahman of Naogaon and Md Daudul Islam of Comilla, are receiving treatment at National Guard Hospital, with Safqat remaining unconscious.
Md Saimul Islam Sourav and Abul Mansur Md Riaz Uddin, both from Dhaka, are currently being treated at Riyadh Medical Hospital. Meanwhile, another individual from Dhaka, Md Abdullah, is receiving medical treatment at Prince Sultan Military Hospital.
Three Bangladeshi workers, including Arman Hossain of Dhaka, are receiving medical treatment at the Takhassusi branch of Sulaiman Al Habib Hospital.
Md Rafik Mia is receiving treatment at Kingdom Hospital, while Ismail Hossain, Md Misbah Uddin Hirak and Md Raihanul Islam are at King Khalid Medical City.
Five Bangladeshi workers—Salma Akter, Md Shahadat Hossain, Moshahid Ahmed Saikat, Zahid Ahmed, and Sohbe Sadek Md Shahjahan Sarker—are receiving treatment at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Hospital.
Md Asadul Islam and Md Jamal are receiving treatment at Ejtiah Sanad Hospital, while Nazma Akter is hospitalized at Sulaiman Fakeeh Hospital. Additionally, Umair and Abdullah Kamil are being treated at the Al Sahafa branch of Sulaiman Al Habib Hospital.
According to the embassy, all of the injured Bangladeshis were waiting in transit at Riyadh airport to travel to Jeddah.
The attack stranded approximately 500 passengers who had arrived from Bangladesh or were waiting to travel to domestic and international destinations via Riyadh. Individuals scheduled to fly from Riyadh to Bangladesh were also impacted by the incident.
The embassy arranged accommodation and meals for 100 passengers who had arrived from Bangladesh on Saudia Airlines flight SV804, Riyadh Air flight RX17 and US-Bangla Airlines flight US281, as well as for those waiting to travel to other Saudi destinations on flynas, flyadeal and flyriyadh.
The passengers have been accommodated at Marriott and Radisson hotels, as well as in dormitories located at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University.
The embassy also arranged special buses to transport 67 Umrah pilgrims, who had arrived from Bangladesh wearing ihram garments, from Riyadh to Jeddah.
Necessary arrangements have been made to send approximately 400 Bangladeshi passengers, who were stranded due to the cancellation of Saudia Airlines flight SV804 from Riyadh to Dhaka, back to Bangladesh via King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.
The mission also assisted two Bangladeshi workers travelling from Riyadh to Bahrain in crossing the land border at Al Khobar.
Earlier on Sunday afternoon, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam informed reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that two Bangladeshis had been killed in the attack. She initially stated that four injured Bangladeshis were receiving intensive care at King Khalid Hospital.
Two Bangladeshi citizens have been killed in the attack on the Saudi airport, while four others were injured and are currently receiving treatment in the intensive care unit at King Khalid Hospital in Saudi Arabia. "We are trying to confirm everyone's identity," she stated.
The state minister stated that the Bangladesh mission was contacting other Bangladeshis in Saudi Arabia to obtain updates regarding the conditions of the victims. Additionally, the mission had issued guidance designed to help Bangladeshis remain safe.
Responding to a question, she stated that the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would jointly provide assistance.
“The incident has just occurred. We will certainly work with the Saudi government. In many cases, we need to speak with the owners of the companies where Bangladeshi workers are employed. We will complete all the formalities and try to bring their bodies home as soon as possible. We usually bear the cost of bringing them back to Bangladesh,” she stated.
Why it matters
The mission's intervention highlights diplomatic and consular measures to protect and repatriate Bangladeshi citizens affected by foreign security incidents.