Had the government taken seriously its duty of making Bangladesh’s manpower export to different countries smooth, its economy undoubtedly would have been stronger? Though their contribution to the country’s economy is huge, plights of the expatriate workers or hurdles they face while going to foreign countries are not properly addressed. According to a report in this newspaper yesterday, the effort of people willing to go to KSA as workers has become even harder as they are failing to avail Saudi visas. It has been alleged that it is only after giving extortion of $250 for each visa to two recruiting agencies; they are able to get the visas.
According to the report, the proprietor of Enam International, one Enamul Haque and the chairman of MCO Trading International, one Kazi Shakhawat Hossain Lintu, have formed a syndicate since the beginning of the pandemic. This syndicate has manipulated the passport submitting day for visa to one day in a week, but it was four days earlier and only ten visas are issued in a week. The syndicate, in collusion with people in the Saudi embassy in Dhaka, is reportedly controlling the visa processing.
We urge the government’s law enforcing agencies to bust this syndicate that is taking money for a visa to the Gulf kingdom. Bangladeshi expatriate workers have been working in KSA for a long time since 1976, but it is often portrayed negatively as to how workers are doing in that country. Often we hear news of KSA sending back Bangladeshi workers on different charges. This is not good for Bangladesh’s manpower export, not just to KSA, but other countries as well.
The remittance of the expatriate workers is the second most important driver of Bangladesh economy only after the garment sector, but it is sad but true that the process of sending workers from Bangladesh to other countries is still beset with various problems. Among others, the overwhelming presence of middlemen in the process has made it dreary for the workers who are often duped by these middlemen. If the influence of the middlemen could be stamped out, the cost of going to countries of destination could have been slashed.
Bangladesh also needs to sincerely work for developing skilled and semiskilled workforce so that the country is more benefitted. It is worth mentioning here that the Saudi authorities seek to open the door to recruit doctors, teachers and engineers from Bangladesh. As employment opportunities in Bangladesh are limited, the graduates from our universities can avail employment opportunities in other countries including KSA. That is why the thrust should be given more on generating skilled human capital through increasing the scope of vocational education in the country.
