Reza Mahmud :
Once solvent families of expatriates in Bangladesh, are now have been fallen in deep crisis due to coronavirus lockdown across the world.
“My husband is working in Saudi Arabia for three years. He used to send money in every month to us. But, he failed to send money in last three months due to ongoing coronavirus centric crisis,” said Monjila Begum, a housewife in Gandaria in the capital.
Monjila Begum said, she is passing days with her three children spending savings for last three months.
Her husband Alamgir Hossain is a construction worker in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. But, the work of his firm is suspended for indefinite period.
He is now living with charity foods from a Masjid there in this holy month of Ramzan.
“How long he can survive in this condition,” Monjila said.
“We are living Dhaka for two reasons. One is my husband went abroad selling our landed properties. So, we have no home to live in village. Another reason is my children’s education. But now it is hard to live this rented house and to provide educational costs of my children in this circumstances,” she said.
Tahira Khatun, another wife of an Kuwait expatriate worker living in Louhojong of Munshigonj district also said about her agony.
“My husband once sent handsome amount of money
which was even distributed among other members of his family. Now, his salary is curtailed. He failed to send money for last two months but no one are extended hands to me and two of my children,” Tahira said.
She said that, all savings of their bank accounts have been spent in last few days due to repay her husband’s loan which he borrowed for his migration cost.
“Even the local UP chairman and members are not enlist my name in their relief list as they think we are solvent with foreign money. They do not believe my peril condition,” she said.
Besides, about two lakh of expatriates are now returned in home are also in uncertain condition.
Most of them in tension about returning their workplaces abroad.
They are also in struggle to provide their families daily expenses.
Abdul Latif from Boalmari of Faridpur, is one of them.
“I left Malaysia due to panic from serious outbreak of coronavirus there. But I have no money now. Even I cannot bear expenses of my family. What we have to do now I can’t think,” he said.
“The problem is the local people as like my relatives think I have lot of money in bank accounts. So, no one is willing to help me.
Thousands of returnee expatriates and their families are fall in such a miserable condition.
When contacted, Shariful Hasan, head of Brac Migration Programme told The New Nation, “About two lakh expatriates have returned in home amid the coronavirus crisis across the world. Most of them may lose their jobs abroad. In these circumstances, they are struggling to live with their family members.”
Government data shows that about one crore and 26 lakh Bangladeshi nationals are working abroad.
Shariful Hasan said, two percent of our expatriates are doctors and engineers. Rest of them are ordinary workers.
A large number of them are working as construction labour in Middle Eastern Arab countries.
