Two Bangladeshis killed in Riyadh airport attack, four in ICU: Shama Obaed
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam on Sunday said two Bangladeshis were killed and four others are receiving treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a hospital following an attack at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
The State Minister said the government is working to identify the deceased, determine their districts of origin and collect information about their families so that they could be contacted without delay.
“Our mission is working closely with the Saudi government to identify those killed and injured, as nationals of many countries have been affected amid the conflict situation,” she told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Shama said the identities of the four Bangladeshis undergoing treatment in the ICU at King Khalid Hospital are being verified, a process that could take time.
She said Bangladesh's missions in Riyadh and Jeddah are maintaining close contact with Saudi authorities and relevant ministries to ensure the safety of Bangladeshi nationals.
The missions are also in touch with other Bangladeshis in Saudi Arabia, monitoring their conditions and providing necessary safety guidelines, she added.
Expressing concern over the loss of lives of Bangladeshis, the State Minister said it is particularly painful that people who went abroad in search of livelihoods and worked hard to support their families had become victims of the conflict.
“These are our remittance warriors who leave their families behind, work hard and send money home,” she said hoping that the war and attacks would stop and no further casualties would be reported.
Shama said they have already lost 14 Bangladeshis in recent days due to this Middle East conflict. "Naturally, this is a matter of profound sorrow,” she said, expressing deep condolences over the deaths.
She reiterated that the safety, security and well-being of expatriate Bangladeshis has been the government's top priority since it assumed office.
Regarding the repatriation of the deceased, Shama Obaed said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment are working jointly to provide all necessary support to the affected families.
She said the government routinely bears the expenses of repatriating the remains of Bangladeshi citizens who die abroad, and the same arrangement would apply in this case.
The State Minister also said flights to and from Riyadh have been suspended following the incident as a precautionary measure.
However, she said the government has received no information indicating that any specific Bangladeshi airline or flight has been damaged or directly affected by the attack.
The suspension was likely imposed immediately after news of the attack emerged to ensure passenger safety, she added.
Bangladesh, earlier, strongly and unequivocally condemned the deadly Houthi attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on 10 October 2026, which resulted in casualties, including the tragic loss of two Bangladeshi nationals, and left numerous others injured, many of them critically.
Bangladesh mission in Riyadh is in contact with the Saudi authorities to obtain details of the deceased and injured Bangladeshis and to facilitate necessary assistance to those affected.
Bangladesh extended its deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families, including the families of the Bangladeshi victims, and prays for the swift and full recovery of all those injured.
"Attacks endangering civilian lives and targeting civilian infrastructure are unacceptable and must cease immediately," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement.
Bangladesh reiterated its firm solidarity with the government and the brotherly people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the face of this attack.
Bangladesh called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, and a peaceful resolution of the ongoing crisis through dialogue and diplomacy, in the interest of regional peace, security and stability.