Migrant worker wounded in Oman gets Tk1.14 cr compensation

A migrant worker, who returned home in 2017 as he suffered injuries while discharging duty in Oman, got more than Tk1.14 crore compensation from his workplace in Oman.   

Four years before 2017, Khijmat Ali of Thakurgaon went to the Middle Eastern country as an agro-labourer. In an accident, he lost his ability to walk normally and lost his speech too. He was forced to return home.

Then, the Expatriate Welfare and Foreign Employment Ministry took the initiative to get compensation through legal procedures.  

Expatriate Welfare and Foreign Employment minister Imran Ahmed handed over the cheque of Tk11,410,922 to Khijmat Ali's family on Tuesday (14 December), four years after he returned home.

While handing over the compensation money, the minister said, "The money Khijmat Ali received was given by his workplace in Oman as per a court order there. With the initiative of our Oman embassy, the compensation issue was settled in a court of Oman."

"We received the money last month through our embassy. Today, we handed it over to the victim's family," he added.  

At that time, the minister advised the family of the wounded worker to properly utilise the money.

In reply, Khijmat's wife Anwara said with the money she will pay the debt and also invest in their agricultural lands.  

Expatriate Welfare Secretary Ahmed Monirus Salehin, Wage Earners Welfare Board Director General M Hamidur Rahman, director (Finance and Welfare) Shoaib Ahmed and family members of Khijmat Ali were present at that time.

From 2010 to November this year, the Bangladesh government has provided financial aid of more than Tk10.70 crore to around 1040 wounded and sick migrant workers who returned home, according to Wage Earners' Welfare Board.

Around 1.2 crores of Bangladeshis are working in various countries around the world, according to the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training.