300 Bangladeshis stranded on Saipan: Report

Around 300 Bangladeshis, lured with overseas jobs, are now suffering as they have run out of cash and lack earning opportunities in Saipan in the Pacific, reports The Guam Daily Post.

Saipan is the largest of the Northern Mariana Islands, a commonwealth territory of the United States.

Three such Bangladeshis came out in public to express their disgust with a broker of a construction company who brought them to Saipan promising jobs, the newspaper wrote on Thursday.

It said Anisur Rahman, Muhammad Anowar and Hanif arrived in Saipan on 19 June.

They were quoted to have said it was Mukter Hossain, a carpenter, who arranged for their travel and job placement in the island. In their permits, five other Bangladeshis were listed. Hossain also arranged for their travel, according to the report. The five guest workers were expected to arrive soon in Saipan. They were named as Shafigul Islam Shalin, Saiful Alam, Prodip Kumar Paul, Mojibul Hoque and Adam Sofiullah - all said to be from Dhaka,

The report said Hanif, 22, showed a picture of himself with Hossain at Dhaka airport prior to Hanif's departure for Saipan. He said his father sold their property and they also borrowed money to raise $12,500 to give to Hossain.

Before Hossain left Saipan, he was able to bring 10 people, the Bangladeshis reported. They presented bank statements showing the money deposited to Hossain's account.

According to the report, when they arrived in Saipan, it was Hossain’s brother Anwar who helped them find a place to live. They share a room in Chalan Kanoa and pay $300 a month in rent.

Through a translator, they said it would be hard for them to look for a job because they could not speak English, the report added.