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As time passes, there is growing uncertainty about the return of expatriates stranded in the country due to the crown. Concerned people say the crisis is multi-dimensional. Many have visas and ikama (work permits). Kafil (employer) seeks to return quickly, otherwise there is fear of losing the job. But tickets to return to Saudi Arabia are not available. Once again, many visas and Iqamas have expired. The type of paperwork required to apply for a visa extension in Dhaka is not easily matched by Saudi Arabia. As a result, it is not possible to renew the visa.
On the other hand, before the Corona epidemic, some 25,000 workers obtained visas to go to work in Saudi Arabia for the first time. But they couldn’t go. Their visas have been revoked and they are being asked to renew them. In the situation that emerged last week in Dhaka, the Foreign Minister sought the cooperation of the Heads of Mission of the Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia. AK Abdul Momen and the Minister of Welfare for Expatriates and Employment Abroad Imran Ahmed.
The chancellor said that if the businessman does not want to take his staff, they have nothing to do. He advised expatriate workers to contact their employers.
According to the Expatriate Welfare Office at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, 39,018 Bangladeshis, most of them working, have returned to the country from Saudi Arabia since the inception of Corona (April 1 to September 30). Two-thirds of them have been forced to leave their jobs because of the crown. In the last six months, many of them have been caught in debt traps in the country. On the other hand, 3,317 people have been able to return to Saudi Arabia in the last week. When Saudi Arabia launched international flights, expatriates began returning to the country starting on September 23. Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Group Director Captain AHM Touhid-ul Ahsan said: “So far, 3,317 expatriates have returned to Saudi Arabia on 11 flights.”
According to data analysis by the Labor Employment Training Office, in 2019, the number of people going to different countries with Bangladeshi jobs was seven lakh. In 2020 today, that goal was seven and a half lakhs. In the three months from January to March, 8 percent of total employment abroad went to 10 countries in the Middle East. 74 percent went to Saudi Arabia. Around 21 lakh of Bangladeshi workers are working in different professions in the country.
However, according to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, the plan is to incorporate 60 percent of the country’s workforce. To implement this, migrant workers will be laid off and sent back to their respective countries. Initially, illegal and undocumented Bangladeshis were asked to come. Immigration analysts believe there is a fear of returning Bangladeshis who are legally staying.
Golam Mustafa, former president of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruitment Agencies (BAIR), an organization of labor exporters, told Kaler Kanth yesterday: “Those who have gone to Saudi Arabia from Bangladesh are not a burden to them. under no circumstance. Our expat workers are making a great contribution to the Saudi economy by participating in various activities, including agriculture. They cannot return to the country on vacation due to Corona. We urge the Saudi government to provide humanitarian assistance to those who have received new visas and those working in Saudi Arabia. “
“Before leaving, our staff must have a Corona Negative Certificate 48 hours in advance,” he said. Just 48 hours is very difficult. On the one hand, they will have to extend the validity of their Iqama and will also need a confirmation ticket, and on the other hand, they will also need a Corona certificate 48 hours in advance. This has created a very difficult situation. The government must take strong diplomatic measures to give him at least four days instead of 48 hours.
Meanwhile, almost every day, Saudi expatriate workers protest outside the Saudi Arabian Airlines office at the Sonargaon Hotel in the capital’s Karwan Bazar for tickets and tokens. People who have kept the economy afloat by sending remittances are now beaten with sticks while trying to obtain tokens.
A week ago, the vice president of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Deputy Air Marshal Mohammad, said that as many flights as needed for the Saudi expatriates to return would be approved. Mofidur Rahman. “Saudi Arabian Airlines now operates four flights a week,” he told Kaler Kanth yesterday. They requested permission for four more flights, which we granted them. In addition, Biman Bangladesh Airlines will operate 10 special flights a week. In other words, 16 flights will be operated on this route in one week.
Meanwhile, Bebichak said in a press release yesterday that due to the crown, there will be a limit on the number of seats per passenger (260 for spacious planes and 140 for non-spaced planes). It has been decided to relax. However, in this case, the government will take appropriate measures to alleviate the risk of increased health risks.
Biman has been allowed 12 more special (unscheduled) flights to repatriate expatriate workers to Saudi Arabia. In addition, Saudi Arabian Airlines will reissue tickets from now on according to the visa period. Taking into account the current situation, Saudi Airlines has said that those whose visa expires before the verification and selection of the form will obtain tickets on a priority basis. For so long, Saudi Airlines has reissued return tickets. Omar Khayyam, Saudi Arabian Airlines sales manager, said that the tickets were issued according to the series from the date of purchase.
Diplomatic sources say that the majority of Bangladeshi workers work in the private sector. The business situation for many is not good because of Corona. Other than that, many people don’t want to accept workers because of the risk. Because of this, there was a demand from many workers in March but now it is not. New challenges have emerged for workers who did not obtain visas last March. If they cannot go abroad, the government will encourage them to train and find employment in the country. The government has already allocated 500 million rupees for this. If necessary, the government plans to increase the amount of this fund.
The Minister of Welfare for Expatriates and Employment Abroad, Imran Ahmed, has blamed the Corona epidemic for the current situation. He told Kaler Kantha that expats like others have also been victims of it. Many have been trapped in Bangladesh for a long time or even before. He said that now that the situation in Corona has gradually improved, workers have started moving to various countries, including Saudi Arabia. There are many problems with visa extensions. We are trying to solve some of the problems that are under our control. But in many cases there are complications with employers. There may be some problems with them.
Foreign Minister. AK Abdul Momen said: “Governments and employers in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, do not like chaos. They are also attentive to what happens here. If they don’t want to accept workers or cancel the visa, Bangladesh will have nothing to do.
The founding chairman of the Refugee and Migration Movements Research unit (Ramru), Prof. Tasneem Siddiqui told Kaler Kanth: “It is very unfair that Saudi Arabia has treated migrants not only with us, but with all of Asia. Now We have to bring this issue to various international forums and exert a lot of diplomatic pressure on Saudi Arabia. This issue should be internationalized. We have to bring with us those who are in this problem like India, Nepal. The basis of which is to create Saudi responsibility. It is An innovative method needs to be devised to speed up the caravan process – it should also be brought to the high commissioners of other countries.
He said that expatriate workers have arrived in the country and are facing a financial crisis. The government will not be able to overcome this crisis with only loan schemes. The government must provide one-time cash assistance to these affected individuals. It is very important to be human with the remittance fighters of whom we are proud. The incarceration of returnees is causing a backlash in the minds of expatriate workers. Those in jail must be released quickly and newcomers must not be imprisoned. If we want to fight expats globally, we have to be more humane with them in our own country.
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