More 96 Bangladeshi workers return from Saudi Arabia
A total of 20,692 Bangladeshi workers were deported by Saudi Arabia in the last 10 months
Some 96 Bangladeshi workers returned home from Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, totalling to 421 in last five days amid a crackdown on undocumented workers there.
A flight of Saudi Airlines SV-804 carrying the Bangladeshi workers landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 11:30pm.
A total of 20,692 Bangladeshi workers were deported by Saudi Arabia in the last 10 months.
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The returnees are provided with food and drinking water by Brac Migration Programme.
Tofayel of Kishorganj, a returnee, said he went to Saudi Arabia around two and a half months back but he was compelled to return home over various issues there.
Another returnee Mohiuddin of Brahmanbaria said he stayed there for three years. He renewed his legal work permit, Iqama in Arabic, at the cost of over Tk4 lakh. But unfortunately, he was deported empty-handed after being harassed by the Saudi police.
Md Hannan Mia of Gazipur said he had been working in Saudi Arabia for last 15 years. The police arrested him despite having a legal passport and valid iqama.
Joynal of Noakhali, Alam of Mymensingh, Sabuj Mia of Jamalpur, Mamun of Barishal and some others also faced unbearable sufferings in Saudi Arabia.
Chief of Brac Immigration Programme Shariful Hasan said some 21,000 Bangladeshi workers were deported from Saudi Arabia this year.
The number of the returnees was high in the last two months, said Shariful Hasan.
The migration expert also said it is an offense to change the job despite having valid iqama according to Saudi law.
"We have to make our workers aware of this issue. Here the recruiting agencies have a big role to play. They have to ensure that a worker gets a job after reaching the destination as per commitment of the agencies. Fraudulence in the name of free visa should be stopped," he added.
