1 Bangladeshi in critical condition after Riyadh attack

One Bangladeshi national remains in critical condition while four others injured in a missile attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh are out of danger, according to the Bangladesh Embassy in Saudi Arabia.

Two Bangladeshis were killed and 27 others injured in the attack, the latest report from the embassy’s Labour Welfare Wing said.

The attack took place at around 3:15pm on Saturday. A total of 13 people from different countries were killed and 309 injured, the report said.

Among the 27 injured Bangladeshis, 11 are expatriate workers and 16 are Umrah pilgrims. Twelve of the injured workers were released after receiving primary treatment, while 15 are currently undergoing treatment at different hospitals.

Of the five Bangladeshis initially reported to be in critical condition, four are now out of danger. However, Saffat Rahman, an Umrah pilgrim from Naogaon, remains in critical condition.

The embassy is maintaining regular contact with hospital authorities to ensure proper treatment for all injured Bangladeshis and obtain updates on their conditions.

Meanwhile, around 500 Bangladeshis travelling to or from the country were stranded at Riyadh airport following the incident. Of them, 17 Umrah pilgrims were relocated to the Marriott Hotel, 25 to the Radisson Blu Hotel and 40 to the dormitories of Princess Nourah University in Riyadh.

Arrangements have been made to send around 400 Bangladeshi passengers on the cancelled Saudia Airlines flight SV804 from Riyadh to Dhaka back to Bangladesh via King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, with assistance from airport authorities, Saudi immigration and the airline concerned.

Emergency travel permits have also been issued to three Bangladeshis who lost their passports.

Saudi civil aviation authorities have temporarily suspended operations at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.

The suspension is expected to disrupt the arrival of workers from Bangladesh, the return of regular workers and sick Bangladeshis from Riyadh, and the transportation of bodies to Bangladesh until airport operations resume.

The Bangladesh Embassy said it was monitoring the overall situation in Saudi Arabia and remained ready to provide emergency assistance to Bangladeshi nationals.