Dhaka, June 25 -- A total of 172 irregular Bangladeshi migrants detained at the Ganfuda Detention Centre in Benghazi, Libya, were repatriated to Bangladesh early Thursday.

The returnees arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 5:18 am on a special flight operated by Buraq Air.

The repatriation was carried out with the support of the Libyan government and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), through the coordinated efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Bangladesh Embassy in Libya and the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment.

According to officials, most of the returnees had entered Libya illegally with the intention of reaching Europe by sea after being lured and assisted by human...