Bangladeshis not to lose jobs in Middle East for late return: Govt
Bangladesh nationals, who work in Middle Eastern (ME) countries and now on vacation at home, will not lose their jobs for late joining to their respective workstations due to prevailing coronavirus situation, says the government.
The governments of the ME countries will either extend their leave or visa validity, said state minister for foreign affairs M Shahriar Alam, reports news agency UNB.
"They (Bangladesh nationals) won't be terminated (for the late joining)," he said responding to queries from the Bangladesh nationals who work in the Middle Eastern countries.
The state minister said missions of the Middle Eastern countries in Dhaka and Bangladesh missions in those countries have confirmed the job-related issues through foreign ministries of those countries.
Some Bangladesh nationals from the Middle Eastern countries came home on vacation but could not return to their respective workplaces following the suspension of flight operations or lockdown though their official vacation period ended.
Meanwhile, Kuwait wants to send back Bangladeshis who are already in deportation centre or convicted in the first phase, an official of Bangladesh Embassy there told news agency UNB on Friday night.
Asked whether the first batch would return home on Saturday (today), the official, however, said he was not aware of it.
On Thursday, Kuwait's home ministry announced beginning initiatives to extradite "illegal residents", comprising Bangladeshis and Indians.
The "deportation" process of Bangladeshi expatriates was scheduled to start on Saturday, according to Kuwait national media.
The measures are taken without imposing any fines on them and they can return to Kuwait in the future following due process.
On 5 April, foreign minister AK Abdul Momen said 4-5 countries, including the Maldives, have requested Bangladesh to take back its undocumented nationals from those countries.
He said the government will take steps case by case considering the ground reality.
Momen also said though the number of countries which came up with the request is few but it is a pressure on the government at this critical moment as the whole world is grappling with coronavirus pandemic. "We’re under pressure to some extent. All the countries are under pressure."
The foreign minister hoped that Bangladesh will not be in big trouble considering the relations it maintains with those countries and the steps being taken to further strengthen the relations with them.
He said the foreign minister of the Maldives had a phone conversation with him conveying the situation about the undocumented Bangladeshis.
The Maldives foreign minister highlighted the downfall of tourism business and closure of restaurants there and assured the Bangladesh foreign minister of taking well care of documented nationals.
The Maldives initially urged the undocumented nationals to get registered. "We don't think all will return," he told newsmen.
Bangladesh also shared the economic situation of the country due to coronavirus with foreign countries.