Women workers abused abroad

The harrowing tales related by migrant women workers at a people’s hearing held on Saturday at the Muktijuddha Jadughar, were painful and alarming. At the hearing on ‘How are the migrant women workers?’ the experiences shared by the victims were almost one and the same. They all went overseas in search of means for a better living for themselves and their families, but returned with cruel and hateful experiences.

At the people’s hearing arranged by the organisation One Million Rising, only a few of the women gave accounts of their experiences. According to their accounts, migrant women workers face all sorts of oppression and abuse. It is unfortunate that much of these sufferings and abuses take place in Muslim countries of the Middle East where one would expect religious norms to be followed strictly.

In the past too, the media and human rights organisations have highlighted the mistreatment of migrant women workers. However, the government has taken no effective measures to address the issue. The countries, where the women have been sent, have pledged to ensure that such abuses will not take place anymore. Indonesia, the Philippines and other countries have stopped sending their women workers to the Middle East. If necessary, we should take the same decision. There is a shortage of employment for women workers in Bangladesh, but that does not mean we will push them into danger and uncertainty.

Eminent persons attending the hearing, including former judges, called upon the government to take responsibility of the migrant women workers’ safety. Whether at home or abroad, they are citizens of Bangladesh. It is the government who must take their responsibility. It must be ensured that each and every migrant woman worker have mobile phones so as to keep in touch with their families back home. However, the employers with ulterior motives take their mobile phones away to stop communication. The embassies in the respective countries must keep an eye on such matters and maintain regular monitoring. Lack of logistics cannot be used as an excuse to shirk duties.

If some of the oppressors can be tried and punished under the law, it is hoped that the oppression of the women workers will lessen. We do not want to see any more migrant women workers being oppressed and abused while employed overseas.