REPORT of several enslaved Bangladeshi labourers in a Scotland hotel breaks all imaginations in a country where Labour Law is highly protected. Illegal trafficking is banned and yet the Bangladeshi hotelier who also owns this hotel lured the young men and dumped them to inhuman working condition. They were forced to work 15 hours a day with a handful of pounds a week and barred from going out and communication with friends and relatives. It just makes a case of modern day slavery in utter disregard to the laws of the host country. The man did it for low cost workers but in doing so he has not only destroyed the life of those young men but also damaged the image of the country and its people doing honest business in the UK and at other places.
Similar scandal involving Bangladeshi workers in Singapore is also highly disturbing for the country’s image as some of them were arrested last month for possessing fund to finance terrorists activities back in Bangladesh. Young people in Bangladesh are entering the job market by around two millions in a year but the government is not doing enough to create more jobs to stop people from stepping into traffickers trap. Reports showed job creation in the country has drastically declined in the past three years raising question when the budget is soaring why job creation is declining. We would ask the government to end pervasive corruption and misuse of budgetary resources at all level and put money to productive sectors to create more jobs to stop younger people from going out abroad only to face exploitation and humiliation. The country must stop capital flight and use it to set up more mills and factories to create jobs.
Everyone knows several thousands Bangladeshi nationals died in the Andaman Sea and Thai jungles in the past years on their desperate journey to find lucrative jobs in the South East Asian countries. Traffickers exploited their helplessness on false promises. These traffickers are part of strong network having the backing of powerful ruling party men.
The hotelier also reportedly come from a political family in Bangladesh and was reckless in making promises to lure the young people. He took Tk 20 lakhs from each rescued from the Scottish hotel and since it was in the UK he has been imprisoned to a three-year term last year. Media report said the victims sold land and other family belongings to go to the UK hoping for a better living. The case has definitely put shame on Bangladesh.
Bangladeshis are setting bad examples abroad and if it does not stop Bangladeshi job-seekers will not be acceptable abroad. Do not be so foolish you will be thrown out of the country.
