Bangladeshi photographer and human rights activist Shahidul Alam, who was released by Israeli authorities on Friday after joining a Free Palestine campaign, returned home in the early hours of Saturday, October 11.A flight of Turkish Airlines carrying Shahidul Alam landed Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka around 4:55am.Earlier on Friday, October 10, Shahidul Alam reached Istanbul on a Turkish Airlines flight around 2:30pm (local time), where he was received by Bangladesh Consul General in Istanbul Mohammad Mizanur Rahman.Later, Shahidul Alam’s return flight to Dhaka departed Istanbul at 6:45pm (local time) yesterday.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has expressed gratitude to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his cooperation in facilitating Shahidul Alam’s release and safe repatriation from Israel.

Following Shahidul Alam’s detention by Israeli authorities, Bangladesh embassies in Jordan, Egypt, and Turkey were instructed to engage with the respective foreign ministries and take immediate diplomatic measures to secure his release.