Reza Mahmud :
A total of 311 Bangladeshi workers are passing in inhuman condition in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), as they are not getting minimum wages and other logistic supports from their employer, Al-Nadah Company.
“We are now facing serious financial hardship. We are in human condition here, as our employer is not giving minimum salary as per commitment. Even we cannot change our workplace as our employer filed false cases against most of us,” said, Abul Hashem (not his real name).
Besides, he also alleged that the employer is not giving them sufficient food to survive.
“Apart from these, we don’t have electricity and water connections since July last year. We have already informed the Bangladesh consulate in Jeddah about our condition,” Hashem added.
According to the workers, Al-Nadah Company situated in Abah city, some 800 kilometers away from Jeddah, recruited them through a Bangladesh manpower exporter Quddus Chowdhury.
However, Bangladesh consulate in Jeddah and Bangladeshi community are providing them daily needs.
Besides, Bangladesh consulate in Jeddah has also given jobs to at least 60 workers there.
The company used to supply workers to the KSA government and the private sector there. Most of the workers were hired from Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Nepal.
Now the company issued threat to the workers that if they would join other companies, they would be arrested.
The workers also accused Bangladesh manpower exporter Quddus Chowdhury of creating such inhuman condition.
“Quddus Chowdhury recruited us for the bad reputed company though he knew the real picture of the manpower supplier agency,” said Abul Hashem.
The Bangladeshi workers said Quddus Chowdhury charged them extra money in the name of Akama (work permits) renewal of passports and visas pass of vacation leaves and alike.
According to the diplomatic sources, as the Bangladesh consulate of Jeddah found the allegations truth, it asked the company authority to send back the workers.
It also sent a note to the foreign ministry of KSA.
Later, the company owner filed a case against Bangladesh consulate. In its allegation, the owner said that Bangladesh consulate launched attack on their workers’ residence.
When the foreign ministry of KSA found the faults of the company it took various punitive measures against them. The ministry stopped working in all government projects with Al-Nada.
The KSA foreign ministry also asked the company not to issue visa for recruiting workers from different countries.
On August 5, last year, the Bangladesh consulate filed a case in a labour court in Jeddah demanding compensation.
The consulate has given a letter to the ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment in Dhaka on May 4, this year.
Recently, a team of officials, led by Azharul Haque, Additional Secretary of the ministry, visited the workers residence.
