Staff Reporter :
The recent death of a Bangladeshi worker Baby Begum, 50, in Lebanon has again raised the issue of uncertainty and unhealthy working atmosphere of migrant workers, especially the women, in the Middle Eastern countries.
Family members of the victim alleged that she died on February 9 at Borj Hospital in Beirut due to lack of medical facilities as brokers — Bangladeshi recruiting agencies — created obstacles in getting treatment with an ill intention to make some extra money.
The incident of tragic death was surfaced after the officials of a voluntary organization named Migrant Brother and Sister [Prabashi Bhai Bhon] monitored the treatment of Baby Begum, who was suffering from brain tumour.
Significantly, the concerned officials of Bangladesh Embassy in Lebanon did not take any step in this regard till the date. Even, no step has been taken
to send the victim’s body to her home country, the family members alleged.
When contacted, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Javed Ahmed told The New Nation last night: “The brokers are everywhere. It’s a big problem. Some migrant workers at one stage turn into brokers. Some of them become busy in visa trading and other jobs. These hampers country’s image.”
“You know…the female workers are always unsafe. The domestic maids are vulnerable to violence. We have strong monitoring system in Lebanon. However, we’re taking information about the death of female worker,” he said.
There are several incidents like the above. In fact, the tragic condition of female workers in different ME countries, including Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and UAE, is nothing new.
Another female worker in Lebanon only left her employer’s house because she was no longer able to eat from the garbage bin. “They used to beat me every day, but if they had given me food I would have never left them,” the victim said to a research group without mentioning her name.
Director General, Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training [BMET] Salim Reza, however, refrained to make any comment over the issue.
As per some migrants’ rights bodies, several hundred Bangladeshi maidservants returned from Lebanon in the last few years after facing oppression and exploitation. Most of around 1.5 lakh Bangladeshi migrants are female domestic help in Lebanon.
According to a study, the indicators of human trafficking, forced labor and overall process of recruitment of female domestic workers and their working conditions in Lebanon is not well enough. Actually, the vulnerable situation of female workers in Bangladesh and Nepal was exploited by agents and recruitment agencies.
The agents of recruitment agencies give false promises about paying $1,500-$2000 on average for a job. The female workers are usually promised limited working hours, a weekly day off, salary between $300 and $400 per month, healthcare, good treatment and good atmosphere.
In fact, the majority of female domestic workers are locked in houses with their identity papers confiscated in Lebanon. More than half 58% of Bangladeshi workers have reportedly suffered physical violence from their employers, the employers’ relatives or officials of the recruitment office in Lebanon.
The US-based Human Rights Watch in a report said most of the violations against female workers is relating to physical torture, including sexual harassment and rape.
Besides, the Kafala [sponsorship] system applied in Lebanon was not set forth in any legal text, which is also hard for the female workers to have access to justice, according to sources.
The recent death of a Bangladeshi worker Baby Begum, 50, in Lebanon has again raised the issue of uncertainty and unhealthy working atmosphere of migrant workers, especially the women, in the Middle Eastern countries.
Family members of the victim alleged that she died on February 9 at Borj Hospital in Beirut due to lack of medical facilities as brokers — Bangladeshi recruiting agencies — created obstacles in getting treatment with an ill intention to make some extra money.
The incident of tragic death was surfaced after the officials of a voluntary organization named Migrant Brother and Sister [Prabashi Bhai Bhon] monitored the treatment of Baby Begum, who was suffering from brain tumour.
Significantly, the concerned officials of Bangladesh Embassy in Lebanon did not take any step in this regard till the date. Even, no step has been taken
to send the victim’s body to her home country, the family members alleged.
When contacted, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Javed Ahmed told The New Nation last night: “The brokers are everywhere. It’s a big problem. Some migrant workers at one stage turn into brokers. Some of them become busy in visa trading and other jobs. These hampers country’s image.”
“You know…the female workers are always unsafe. The domestic maids are vulnerable to violence. We have strong monitoring system in Lebanon. However, we’re taking information about the death of female worker,” he said.
There are several incidents like the above. In fact, the tragic condition of female workers in different ME countries, including Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and UAE, is nothing new.
Another female worker in Lebanon only left her employer’s house because she was no longer able to eat from the garbage bin. “They used to beat me every day, but if they had given me food I would have never left them,” the victim said to a research group without mentioning her name.
Director General, Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training [BMET] Salim Reza, however, refrained to make any comment over the issue.
As per some migrants’ rights bodies, several hundred Bangladeshi maidservants returned from Lebanon in the last few years after facing oppression and exploitation. Most of around 1.5 lakh Bangladeshi migrants are female domestic help in Lebanon.
According to a study, the indicators of human trafficking, forced labor and overall process of recruitment of female domestic workers and their working conditions in Lebanon is not well enough. Actually, the vulnerable situation of female workers in Bangladesh and Nepal was exploited by agents and recruitment agencies.
The agents of recruitment agencies give false promises about paying $1,500-$2000 on average for a job. The female workers are usually promised limited working hours, a weekly day off, salary between $300 and $400 per month, healthcare, good treatment and good atmosphere.
In fact, the majority of female domestic workers are locked in houses with their identity papers confiscated in Lebanon. More than half 58% of Bangladeshi workers have reportedly suffered physical violence from their employers, the employers’ relatives or officials of the recruitment office in Lebanon.
The US-based Human Rights Watch in a report said most of the violations against female workers is relating to physical torture, including sexual harassment and rape.
Besides, the Kafala [sponsorship] system applied in Lebanon was not set forth in any legal text, which is also hard for the female workers to have access to justice, according to sources.
