Bangladeshi women staying in Saudi Arabia as domestic workers have been facing sexual abuse and physical torture for a long time. Recently, the issue has been conveyed to Saudi authorities. Recently, a Bangladesh delegation led by State Minister of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment visited Saudi Arabia and met with Saudi Deputy Labour Minister to raise the issue, the media reported. Against this backdrop, the Saudi government has taken a move to make new laws or change the existing ones to ensure stern actions against the oppressive employers in a bid to protect the Bangladeshi domestic workers from such abuses, quoting officials in Dhaka the media also said.
Though belated, we do like to thank the Saudi government to take such an initiative. The issue should be addressed sincerely. Saudi government would get a clear picture over the inhuman activities from the report which Bangladesh government has already placed before them about abuses of the woman migrant workers. Several hundred women workers have recently returned to Bangladesh with multiple marks of injuries in their bodies being physically tortured and sexually abused in the Kingdom. Nearly, 227 female workers returned to Bangladesh in February and the number was 182 in January, according to BRAC migration programme.
So far we know, the scenario is all the same for other countries too. Thousands of female workers from all over the world continue to be lured to Saudi Arabia with the promise of lucrative jobs only to instead be tortured and raped by their employers. According to the report of International Labour Organisation, important progress has been made over the last few years by a number of countries in the Middle East towards legislative change to protect migrant workers, especially the females. But this was not done in Saudi Arabia. Even Saudi women also have to face social, cultural and legal barriers, if anyone wants to enjoy free-movement.
The authorities concerned must not permit any recruiting agency or government department to send female workers to foreign countries without any verification and protection. If enough employment is ensured in the country; the women will not show interest to go to foreign lands for earning money.
