Staff Reporter :
The recruiting agencies of Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia will shoulder all responsibilities of female workers as long as they remain in the Kingdom.
The decision was taken at the third joint technical committee meeting between Bangladesh Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment and Saudi Ministry of Labour and Social Development held in Riyadh on November 27.
The recruiting agencies of both countries will ensure the residential and other facilities of the workers waiting to return home until their repatriation, the joint committee decided, according to Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Secretary Md Salim Reza.
“Besides, Saudi police will not hand over the fugitive women expatriate to their sponsors in any circumstance, as per the decision of the joint technical committee,” he said, adding, “If any female worker falls in trouble, Saudi Department of Protection and Support will bring the issue to the notice of the Saudi authorities.”The Secretary came up with the remark at a press briefing at Probashi Kallyan Bhaban in the capital on Monday. “Authorities in Saudi Arabia have assured that they will take necessary steps to ensure the safety of Bangladeshi female workers in their country,” he added.
Referring to the meeting’s decision, Md Salim Reza, said both the countries have decided to launch an IT platform ‘MUSANED’ where female workers’ addresses, full contact information of Bangladeshi and Saudi recruiting agencies, changed information of recruiters, female workers’ arrival dates and other related information will be preserved.
The secretary also said setting up an ‘Approval Window’ at MUSANED system of Bangladesh Embassy in Saudi Arabia will also be considered. The agencies concerned will inform the Bangladesh Embassy and Saudi Labour Ministry when the working period of female workers will end.
Md Salim Reza if the workers want to continue work after the expiry of their contracts, they have to renew the deed and the Bangladesh Embassy should approve that. The agencies concerned will preserve the updated information in MUSANED.
Signing a general agreement between Saudi Arabia and Bangladeshi labour welfare wing concerned was also discussed at the meeting.
Both the countries promised to work together for stopping visa business, he added. Discussions were also held on easing case filing system with the Saudi Labour Court, and Saudi authorities will inform the embassies soon in this regard, Secretary Reza said.
In the last four years, over 5,000 Bangladeshi women have returned from Saudi Arabia, bringing allegations of torture against their Saudi employers.
Only 1,500 women have come back from Saudi Arabia in 2018, according to BRAC Migration Centre.
