The Embassy of Bangladesh in Jordan has sought government approval to open a safe home in Amman for Bangladeshi woman migrant workers amid rising abuse and exploitation against them by their employers.
The Embassy recently sent a letter to Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment in this regard seeking its approval for operating the safe home in Amman.
“Abused Bangladeshi woman migrant workers were kept before in the safe homes run by the recruiting agencies. But, they have shut the safe homes last year following Jordanian government’s announcement to squeeze import of Bnagladeshi woman migrant worker. As a result, abused Bangladeshi female migrant workers were forced to take shelter in the Embassy creating obstacle to its normal activities,” according to the letter written by the Ambassador Mohammad Enayet Hossain.
It added that the number is growing every day and the Embassy is now unable to face the pressure. In this context, the ministry is requested to take necessary steps to immediately open a safe home in Jordan to be operated by the Embassy. Otherwise, the Embassy activities will face ‘serious disruption’.
“We’re working on the issue. A team will be sent Jordan to evaluate the necessity of the safe home,” a senior official of the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment told The New Nation yesterday admitting the matter.
Bangladesh foreign missions in Saudi Arabia, Oman and Lebanon are now operating five safe homes for Bangladeshi woman migrant workers.
Among them, three have opened in Saudi Arabia where Bangladeshi maids are reportedly facing sexual abuse and exploitation by their employers frequently.
Hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshi women had been going to the Middle East since 2015. According to the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training, the number of migrant female workers was 12.19 lakh in 2017.
Of them, over 1.05 lakh are now working in Jordan.
Media reports said around 5,000 Bangladeshi women workers returned home in the last three years after facing abuse and torture at the hands of their employers.
In the latest episode, 42 female migrant workers returned home on Saturday night from Saudi Arabia. They took shelter in safe homes in Riyadh and Jeddah prior to land in Bangladesh.
