ABU DHABI // The Bangladesh Embassy will start repatriating bodies from Saturday, sending the first group of eight to Chittagong, in the southeast of the country.
Ten bodies are scheduled to be flown to Dhaka on Monday night and one to Sylhet, in the northeast. The last body still needs police clearance.
Mohammed Shahadat Husain, counsellor at the embassy, said: “Due to large number of dead bodies and their destinations, the mission will send them in different aircrafts.”
The repatriation process will have to continue throughout the next week depending on the clearance from the police, Mr Husain said.
Repatriation costs will be borne by the company where the men worked. However if payment is delayed the mission will bear the cost and deal with the company later.
Mr Husain stressed that time is of the essence, because families were waiting for the bodies to arrive in Bangladesh.
Latiful Haq Kazmi, labour counsellor of the Bangladesh Embassy who is in close contact with police, said all the Bangladeshi bodies had been identified except for one. The embassy is certain the man is Bangladeshi, but is awaiting police certification.
Read more: The National