THE media is now reporting the tragic stories of Bangladeshi workers trapped in Iraq. It was reported that at least 33 Bangladeshi workers are living in inhuman conditions for the last ten days at an under-construction hospital building in the Iraqi city of Tikrit seized by extremist ISIL insurgents. Following the clashes between the insurgents and the government forces, they have been confined to the building. They are facing shortages of food and water, among other miseries. ISIL insurgents are now controlling Tikrit, Mosul and some other provinces since the beginning of this month. Besides, around 1,000 to 1,200 Bangladeshis in Mosul are facing problems as the rebels are still dominating there, though many others in Baghdad and southern part of Iraq are reportedly safe, as quoted by the high ups of expatriates welfare and overseas employment ministry. It is now obvious that the Bangladeshis in Mosul, Tikrit and Basra are in trouble.A group of victims, being able to contact Bangladeshi media, informed that their Iraqi employer left them in the building and took away their passports on June 11. The Bangladeshis were working for Al-Iskan Construction, an Iraqi company, from March last year. The confined Bangladeshis claimed that almost all local Iraqis left the area and the rebels are now dominating Tikrit.Data available at private sources suggest that more than 25,000 Bangladeshi nationals have been working in war-ravaged Iraq. Nearly 1,500 of them have already faced trouble. Sources said, all Bangladeshis working in Iraq are either in a life threatening position in war-ravaged zones or in utter mental stress due to their proximity to a civil-war situation. However, Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employent Minister said last week ‘if necessary,’ the government would arrange their return from Iraq. The minister’s comment seems to be comical because we can’t understand what kind of situation would be deemed as a situation of more necessity. Bangladeshi workers are facing an existential crisis and our officials are waiting for when the situation gets more worse. But when these workers send us remittances we cheerfully celebrate that and are happy at the record foreign exchange reserve. This is totally unethical and unacceptable. It is the normal obligation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of a country to look after the over all well being and interests of its citizens residing or working in foreign lands – be that in a peace time or war-like situation – and provide all legal and diplomatic supports particularly in a time of crisis. Unfortunate though, our MoF has so far failed to do anything worth noting in regards to the rescue or repatriation of the Bangladeshi workers from Iraq. We must immediately take action to bring back these trouble-ridden workers home. All possible diplomatic channels with all concerned parties of the conflict must be fully employed and there can not be any excuse for any delay in this matter. Here, The Bangladesh Red Crescent must play its due role. They should use the good office of the International Red Cross and work in close cooperation with the Iraqi Red Cross to take the Bangladeshis to ‘safe-shelters’ and arrange documents so that they can ‘travel out’ of war-ridden Iraq safely. And the Foreign Ministry should join the evacuation drive fully.
