Bangladeshi migrants in Oman face uncertainty

A large percentage of migrant workers in Oman are Bangladeshis. Among the nearly 800,000 Bangladeshi migrant workers there, around 150,000 have become illegal or irregular for various reasons. More than the threat of coronavirus, many of these workers there are suffering from food shortage and the fear of losing their jobs.

Bangladesh’s ambassador in Oman, Mohammad Golam Sarwar, has asked these Bangladeshi workers to be patient. He has appealed to them to stay on in Oman, even if they have the slightest opportunity to earn an income.

Around three years ago, Oman emerged just from being an oil-dependent state and advanced ahead by bringing a degree of diversity to its economy. The drop in oil prices, however, has hit the country hard and now with the coronavirus outbreak, it has had to take another step back. Fortunately for the country, it has been faring better than the other nations in the Middle East in tackling the pandemic.

Bangladeshi workers in Oman have been hit hardest by the fall in oil prices and the coronavirus outbreak there. A large chunk of the workers in this GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) member state are from Bangladesh and the status of around 150,000 of them has become illegal or irregular for various reasons.

The workers are worried about food availability and also fear losing their jobs. Ambassador Mohammad Golam Sarwar has asked them to be patient in these difficult circumstances. In a letter issued to the migrants in Saturday, he said that coronavirus is leading to both financial constraints and mental anxiety. But, he appealed to them, if there was a slightest chance of even a minimum income in Oman, they should stay on rather than fleeing back home in panic. He said that would be more beneficial for them.

He said that if hundreds of thousands of people returned home at this moment, they would face an even greater challenge of livelihood. Golam Sarwar said, “Even if it is difficult, try to stay on. I firmly believe that with the united efforts of all countries in the world, when the coronavirus situation normalises somewhat, things will improve in Oman too, as in the rest of the world.”

There are around 2 million migrant workers in Oman. Of these, around 800,000 are Bangladesh, 700,000 Indian, 250,000 Pakistani, and the remaining 250,000 from Egypt, Nepal, Philippines and Sri Lanka.

Most of the Bangladeshi workers who are now staying there illegally had gone on free visas. That means they had not gone there to work under any specific employer. All Bangladeshi workers who have gone on free visas to Oman and other countries of the Middle East, have faced such a crisis. Then again, other than the free visas, the visas of many have expired and so, without proper documentation, the stay of these workers in Oman has become irregular.

In a report published in the daily Times of Oman on Friday, it was said that as coronavirus has spread more among the migrants in Oman, the authorities have strictly instructed the employers to arrange for their health tests. However, those with free visas are staying away from hospitals as they fear that their illegal status will come out into the open if they go for health checks.

Speaking to Prothom Alo on Saturday, officials of the Bangladesh embassy as well as other Bangladeshis who have been in Oman for long on business or other specialised jobs, said that most of the Bangladeshi workers there were involved in construction work as well as in workshops and other construction related jobs. Over the past two months, some of the smaller workshops, salons and laundries have been closed due to coronavirus. Most of these businesses had Bangladeshi employees. These workers are now at a loss. There are a large number of such Bangladeshis concerned about food, jobs and their illegal status.

The Bangladesh ambassador told Prothom Alo on Saturday that so far the embassy, with the help of volunteers, has provided food to around 4000 Bangladeshis in various places around Oman. They are prepared to provide food to another 7000. Basically the food is being provided to these workers through the Bangladeshi company Pran. It has been difficult to get the food to the workers in various towns around Oman due to the lockdown. The embassy has its limitations, but well-to-do Bangladeshis have come forward to help in providing food products to the migrant workers.

However, speaking with many of the workers, it has been learnt that the assistance being given by the embassy is not at all sufficient to support the large number of those faced with food shortage.

The Oman Social Club Bangladesh has distributed food among around 2500 Bangladeshis. This organisation, formed by expatriate Bangladeshis, has said it will continue providing food to the migrants.

Future seems foreboding

As most of the migrant workers are from Bangladesh, things could be foreboding for Bangladesh if it takes time for Oman’s economy to turn around. Golam Sarwar, speaking to Prothom Alo in this regard, said it is hard to predict how many migrant Bangladeshis may return home in the next three to six months. It all depended on how fast the economy revived. Oman has not yet made any statement as to how many Bangladeshis would have to leave, but many construction companies have said they would not be renewing the contracts of Bangladeshi workers.

Officials of the foreign ministry have said that at least 1500 Bangladeshi migrant workers in Oman will have to return home within the next few days.

Coronavirus tackled well

General secretary of Oman Social Club Bangladesh, MN Amin, has been in Muscat for over four decades now and is involved in construction business. Speaking to Prothom Alo on Saturday, he said, the economy in Oman has not been doing well for the last three years. Coronavirus has worsened the situation. However, the country has tackled the pandemic extremely well

According to Worldometer’s Saturday update, 17 persons have died of coronavirus in Oman, with 3,224 infected. It has been said that half of those who have died and have been infected are foreign nationals, though their nationality has not been revealed.

Golam Sarwar told this correspondent, “We have not been able to determine how many among those who died and have been infected are Bangladeshi. The authorities are not releasing information in this regard. However, Oman has taken all responsibility for the medical treatment of their own citizens as well as for foreign nationals. That is reassuring.”

Diplomatic sources have said that it is assumed a few hundred Bangladeshis in Oman have contracted coronavirus.

Future depends on oil prices

The future of Bangladeshi migrant workers’ fate Oman depends much on the oil prices. If oil prices go up, so will the hopes of the Bangladeshis there. However, the overall predicament of Bangladeshis in the gulf country, particularly those who are now illegally there, does not bode well. A large number of them will have to return to their home country, if not now, eventually.