Demand for Saudi exit clearance for single visa holders without authentication
The demands were made at a human chain held today (5 February) in front of Probashi Kallyan Bhaban
A section of Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (Baira) members has called for introducing an exit clearance certificate without needing attestation for single-visa holders in Saudi Arabia.
The demands were made at a human chain held today (5 February) in front of Probashi Kallyan Bhaban in the capital.
The clearance card is the last document a migrant worker needs from the Bangladesh government to leave the country.
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Visas for Bangladeshi workers to Saudi Arabia are issued in two categories: single visa and group visa. Group visa holders, defined as more than 25 workers going to the same company, require embassy attestation.
Although this attestation requirement had been relaxed for single-visa holders in recent years, the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) recently began enforcing it again following reports that many workers were arriving in Saudi Arabia without securing jobs.
The attestation process verifies the authenticity of job offers, preventing potential exploitation.
During the demonstration, the section of Baira members also urged the government to take strict measures against airline ticket syndicates and black marketeers.
They called for the introduction of fixed airfares for labourers and demanded a simplified and expedited exit clearance process for single-visa holders.
The group's other demands include refraining from punitive action against recruiting agencies unless their crimes are conclusively proven, abolishing the syndicate system for worker migration to Malaysia, preventing the misuse of human trafficking laws, and addressing discriminatory behaviour by BMET and ministry officials.
After the human chain, Baira's leaders met with the Secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, Md Ruhul Amin, and submitted a memorandum to the adviser, highlighting their concerns.
Among others, former Vice Presidents of Baira Riaz-ul-Islam, Noman Chowdhury, former Joint Secretary General Md Fakhrul Islam were present.
