Bangladesh condemns Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia, including the strike on Dammam airport that caused casualties and involved two Bangladeshi nationals, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release on Friday, October 23. Dhaka expressed sympathy for the affected families, voiced solidarity with the Saudi government and people, and urged an immediate halt to all attacks.
What the Foreign Ministry Said
In its statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Bangladesh strongly condemned the attacks and extended heartfelt sympathies to those affected. It also called for the immediate cessation of all attacks and a peaceful resolution through diplomacy. The statement did not outline any specific diplomatic initiative, and no additional measures were announced in the release as reported.
The Attack on Dammam Airport
The statement refers to the attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam on the evening of Wednesday, October 21. Dhaka Tribune reported that two people were killed and eight others injured, including two Bangladeshis. The strike was described as the latest in a series of assaults on Saudi infrastructure as fighting intensifies between the Houthis and Yemen’s Saudi-backed, internationally recognised government.
According to the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, the two Bangladeshi nationals are receiving treatment at Saudi German Hospital in Dammam. One report, from Daily Waadaa, said the two reportedly lost consciousness because of heat and smoke during the attack but sustained no physical injuries. The Foreign Ministry’s own statement referred more broadly to casualties and injuries involving two Bangladeshis, so the precise nature of their condition may be clarified in later updates.
Why Bangladesh Condemns Houthi Attacks in Saudi Arabia
The reasons for Dhaka’s strong response are both humanitarian and economic. This is not the first time Bangladeshi nationals have been affected. After the attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on October 10, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement condemning the strike and noting the loss of two Bangladeshi nationals, with many others injured. Its mission in Riyadh said it was in contact with Saudi authorities to obtain details of the dead and injured and to facilitate assistance. Reports this week also said the body of Bangladeshi worker Shahed Ahmed Ashik, who was killed in the Riyadh attack, was received by State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam.
Saudi Arabia is also Bangladesh’s largest labour market. UNB has reported that the kingdom hosts more than 2.5 million Bangladeshi workers, whose remittances form a pillar of the national economy. Any sustained threat to Saudi airports therefore carries direct consequences for Bangladeshi families.
Travel Disruption Compounds the Concern
The attacks have also disrupted air travel between the two countries. According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, 135 flights between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia have been disrupted since October 10, affecting 20,672 passengers as of October 22. The cancelled services include 62 direct and 73 transit flights across 11 airlines.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines had earlier announced plans to operate a Riyadh flight on October 26 as conditions improved. However, Daily Sun has since reported that the carrier suspended its Dammam and Riyadh flights again, a development travellers should confirm directly with the airline.
Diplomatic Context and Outlook
By urging a peaceful resolution through diplomacy, Dhaka has aligned itself with calls for de-escalation while stopping short of announcing concrete steps. Bangladesh’s immediate priorities appear to be consular assistance for its citizens, support for the injured and the bereaved, and the safe resumption of flights.
How the situation develops will depend largely on the security picture around Saudi airports and on whether regional diplomacy can reduce tensions. For now, the Foreign Ministry’s statement makes clear that Bangladesh condemns Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia and wants civilian infrastructure, and the people who depend on it, spared from further harm.
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