Bangladeshi diplomat‍‍`s house in Tehran damaged in Israel strike

An Israeli airstrike in Tehran on Monday caused significant damage in the city’s residential District 3, affecting homes of several diplomats, including officials from the Bangladesh Embassy. One of the homes destroyed belonged to Oalid Islam, the first secretary of the embassy.

Fortunately, Oalid Islam was not home during the attack. “My house was completely destroyed,” he told BBC Bangla, adding, “There is nothing left around us now. Only a few diplomats‍‍` houses remain, but the surroundings have been devastated.”

Most Bangladeshi embassy staff reside in Tehran‍‍`s Jordan area, within District 3  -a neighborhood that includes several strategic sites, such as the Iranian state television building, which had been identified by Israel as a target.

Local authorities had issued evacuation orders for the area prior to the strike, which limited casualties but left many buildings heavily damaged.

In response to the attack, the Bangladesh government instructed all its citizens in the area - including embassy personnel - to evacuate immediately. Embassy staff have since relocated to other parts of Tehran.

With the scope of the Israeli attacks widening, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka is now working on plans to relocate all Bangladeshi citizens out of Tehran altogether.

“We are deeply concerned for those still in Tehran. They are at significant risk,” Acting Foreign Secretary Ruhul Alam Siddique said at a press briefing on Tuesday. “We are taking steps to ensure the safety of all Bangladeshi nationals, including embassy officials.”

According to the Foreign Ministry, approximately 400 Bangladeshi citizens currently in Tehran remain unharmed.

The situation follows a sharp escalation of hostilities after Israel launched pre-dawn strikes on Friday targeting over 100 sites across Iran, including nuclear and military facilities. The attacks reportedly killed senior commanders and scientists, sparking a wave of retaliatory strikes and raising fears of a broader regional conflict.

Both Iran and Israel have since targeted residential areas. As of Tuesday, Iran’s Health Ministry reported 224 deaths and 1,277 injuries, while Israeli authorities confirmed 23 civilian deaths and nearly 60 injuries.