, July 9 -- Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury on Thursday said 12 Bangladeshis have so far died in the Middle East conflict, while four Bangladeshi workers sent to Russia under employment contracts have died after reportedly being forced into war-related activities.

The government has repatriated 186 Bangladeshis, including 12 women and eight children, from Iran amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, with financial support from the Wage Earners' Welfare Board, he said.

The minister disclosed the information while responding to a question from BNP reserved-seat MP Nilufar Chowdhury Moni during the question-answer session in Parliament.

According to him, five Bangladeshis died in Lebanon,...