Bangladeshi evacuees trapped in Sudan facing starvation and thirst

Around 750 Bangladeshis stranded in a makeshift camp in Port Sudan are running out of food and water while waiting to be evacuated to safety.

The group has been moved from the Sudanese capital Khartoum to the port and is waiting for a week to leave by sea to Jeddah, reports Arab News (AN).

With supplies running low and unsanitary conditions, the evacuees are becoming increasingly desperate.

"We don't have enough drinking water. How much water can we afford to buy? We can't manage enough to drink water, let alone shower," said Mohammed Bahadur, one of the evacuees.

The evacuees are also not seeing any possibility of being rescued either.

"Since we landed here, every day we are told that we will get the ship soon. But it's not happening," Bahadur said.

Anisur Rahman, president of the Bangladesh-Sudan Friendship Council, said, "When they came to Port Sudan, they arrived with empty hands as they didn't get their salaries. They can't afford to buy food, even if it was available. Most of the people arrived here without any belongings as everything was robbed in Khartoum."

They are among thousands of foreigners attempting to flee Sudan since fighting broke out on 15 April between rival factions of the military government.

The fighting killed hundreds, wounded thousands, disrupted aid, displaced 100,000 refugees, and turned Khartoum's residential areas into war zones.

The Bangladeshis are staying at a school, sharing one single toilet, and sleeping on the floor in cramped classrooms.

The Bangladeshi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to confirm when the first group will leave amid battle conditions.

"Our ambassador in Sudan has been asked to do whatever is necessary for the well-being of the evacuees," said Shah Mohammad Tanvir Monsur, director-general of the Consular and Welfare Wing of the Bangladeshi Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

However, he mentioned that there are limitations to the ambassador's abilities as this is a warring situation.