Staff Reporter :
One hundred twenty-five more Bangladeshi workers returned from Saudi Arabia on Friday night, mostly empty-handed.
In November only, at least 2615 expatriates came back from the kingdom.
According to expatriate welfare desk in Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, at least 21 thousand Bangladeshis had returned from Saudi Arabia in last 10 months.
Kamrul Islam from Brahmanbaria went to the KSA, spending Tk four lakh and 60 thousand only two and a half months ago.
He had valid Ikama (work permit) and visa, yet, the authority sent him back without showing any reason.
Afzal Hossain from Naraynagonj, who went to that country spending Tk three lakh and 70 thousand only, was sent back though he had every valid document. Similarly Faruk Hossain from Habigonj, Saiful Islam from Dhaka, Saidul Islam and Montu Mian from Brahmanbaria, Naimul Karim from Narsingdi, and Nandan from Cumilla experienced the identical pathetic stories.
Almost every one of them had valid work permit, some of them paid money to their Kofil (employers) for renewal of their Ikama. But the employers delayed to prepare those documents. In such cases, when police intercepted those workers, the kofils showed no heed to help them.
Shariful Hasan, Head of BRAC immigration programme, said that most of the workers came back home without earning the money spent to go there.
“The government is likely to sit in a meeting with Saudi Officials shortly. We request the government to discuss and find a way to stop such incidents,” he said.
The meeting will be held to discuss, especially Saudi expatriate Bangladeshi female workers issue. But we want the government to discuss also male workers issue as well in order to stop dismal return from the KSA.
