At least 26 Bangladeshi nationals have died in Italy over the past two months, most of them reportedly from cardiac arrest, according to expatriate organisations and diplomatic sources.
The deaths were reported from several Italian cities including Rome, Naples, Bologna, Perugia, Pisa and Monfalcone.
Community leaders say the victims include migrant workers who were engaged in long working hours, often in physically demanding jobs, with little rest or medical care.
“Excessive workload, irregular lifestyle and constant fear of job insecurity — these are silently killing our people,” said one community organiser in Naples.
Among the deceased are Abdul Kashem Mia of Cumilla, Md Faruk Ahmed of Dhaka, Harun Majhi of Feni, and Raihan Majhi of Shariatpur — all believed to have died of heart-related complications.
In Lampedusa, 29-year-old migrant Navin Hossain reportedly died while attempting to cross the Mediterranean by boat. In Perugia, 21-year-old Sagar Bala Abhi from Madaripur’s Rajoir upazila was found dead; police later confirmed he was murdered over a personal dispute.
Officials at the Bangladesh Embassy in Rome said 14 bodies were sent back to Bangladesh between September and mid-October, while several others remain in process.
Rafiqul Alam, Bangladesh’s consul general in Milan, confirmed that “seven repatriations have been completed in the last two months.”
Community leaders say most victims lacked proper health coverage and were working informally, which made access to treatment or compensation difficult.
They have urged the government to establish a “Migrant Emergency Support Cell” in Europe to ensure timely healthcare, legal assistance and insurance coverage for Bangladeshi workers abroad.
For many expatriates, social media posts like “Brother passed away today” or “Body being sent home” have become grim reminders of the risks and hardships behind the migrant dream.