Are migrant workers receiving ‘VIP treatment’ at the airport?

Migrant worker Jubayer was surprised when police and Ansar personnel at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) addressed him as 'sir' after he returned home from Saudi Arabia on 23 October. 

"This is the first time I was treated as such at the airport," Jubayer said. 

Migrant workers, the backbone of Bangladesh's economy, have long suffered at the airport in Dhaka as officials there are not known for respecting or assisting the workers. And they have long demanded better treatment. 

Things finally changed with Sheikh Hasina's ouster, where expats played a crucial role by sending money through unofficial channels only, and depriving the regime of the necessary dollars for the forex reserve. After the interim government took power, it promised migrant workers the respect they deserve. 

Asif Nazrul, adviser to the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment said in September that returnee migrant workers would receive "VIP treatment" at the airport, stating that "service quality… has already improved." 

Detailing the nature of the VIP treatment, the adviser mentioned that workers will get assistance with luggage, check-in and immigration processes while a zero-tolerance policy will be maintained against harassment or humiliation of expatriates at airports. 

And on 11 November, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus inaugurated a special lounge for the country's migrant workers at HSIA. The lounge offers Bangladeshi migrant workers space to rest and subsidised food.

"Our migrant workers are nation builders. In the July-August mass uprising, they played a big role. We will always be grateful to them," Professor Yunus said at the inauguration. 

The Business Standard visited the airport and interviewed around two dozen returnee migrants from the Middle East to understand what changes had been enacted at the HSIA. 

The feedback is mixed. 

"I had a better experience this time," said Mohammad Shuvo of Narayanganj, a Kuwait returnee. "I got my luggage faster than before. They wouldn't handle our luggage with care before. My friends even had their luggage ripped or damaged. But this time, I saw them [airport officials] being more careful." 

But service by immigration authorities, Shuvo said, was a bit slow. And he had ample complaints against Biman. "They always delay. We had more than two hours of delay this time," he added. 

Margubur Rahman, an expat from Narail who returned in the same flight with Shuvo said that the Biman flight took off at 3:00am though it was supposed to take off at 12:45am. "The other airlines don't delay like Biman."  

But Margubur was happy with his experience at the airport. 

"The police used to misbehave with us. They used to ask too many questions but this time, they behaved, and my luggage too arrived early," Margubur said. "The airport officials guided us and inquired about our wellbeing." 

Instead of prioritising popularity, decisions should be sustainable and solution-driven. Sometimes, services are rushed to become popular simply to show immediate results, especially by those in government eager to demonstrate progress. However, if we are truly aiming to support migrant workers, we should measure success by whether the overall cost of their travel abroad has been reduced, and whether exploitation has been minimised.

Shariful Hasan, Programme Head, Brac Migration Programme

Shipon Hossain from Pabna, a Saudi expat, said he was happy with the overall service. "They used to push us aside as if we were inferior. I felt that it has improved a lot," he said. 

Shahin Mia from Kishoreganj has been a migrant worker in Saudi Arabia for eight years. So far, he has returned home four times. 

"My experience was worse than before. My luggage took one hour to arrive," he said. 

"The [HSIA] doesn't allow us to take the trolley outside the airport premise, which would help us. We have a lot of luggage. There is no option but to call for a porter. Other countries give us more respect and privilege," Shahin added. 

Shihab, another migrant worker from Laxmipur who returned from Saudi Arabia in October said he also had to wait an hour and half for his luggage. 

"In Saudi Arabia, we see our bags are handled carefully. But here, our bags are not handled with care. We have valuable things in our luggage. If it is damaged, will the airport compensate?" he asked.

"Many are saying that this and that has improved, but nothing has really happened," he added. 

We reached out to Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Advisor Asif Nazrul and Secretary Ruhul Amin for a comment, but they didn't receive our calls. 

"Airport services should be of such a standard that every passenger receives equal treatment, regardless of their identity — whether they are government employees, expatriates, or others. If services are designed specifically for certain groups, such as expats, they may not adequately cover all passengers," Shariful Hasan of Brac Migration Programme told TBS. 

He said the focus should be on inbound passengers more than outbound passengers, as they typically require more support upon their return, especially regarding luggage and baggage. 

"Instead of prioritising popularity, decisions should be sustainable and solution-driven. Sometimes, services are rushed to become popular simply to show immediate results, especially by those in government eager to demonstrate progress. However, if we are truly aiming to support migrant workers, we should measure success by whether the overall cost of their travel abroad has been reduced, and whether exploitation has been minimised. Unfortunately, I believe we are still far from achieving these goals," he added.