TUNIS, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Nine Bangladeshi migrants would soon be deprived of protection and shelter after refusing the voluntary return, the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES) said Monday.
"The FTDES is closely following up the situation of the Bangladeshi migrants rescued at sea on May 31 and present on the Tunisian territory since June 18," the FTDES, a non-governmental organization, said in a statement.
The Bangladeshi migrants have been housed in a center of the Tunisian Red Crescent (CRT) in the suburbs of Tunis for two months.
"They are in a situation of blockage since they refused the aid for the voluntary return and the reintegration proposed by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Tunisia," said the FTDES.
Among the 64 Bangladeshi survivors, 53 returned to Bangladesh through the IOM procedure and two fled.
The rest nine now may have to leave the center of the CRT, said the FTDES.
The FTDES called on all Tunisian, humanitarian and international institutions to take up their responsibilities and cooperate to find a new emergency shelter for the nine migrants.
