Migrant workers: They return either dead or empty-handed

On Wednesday morning, a special flight brought 148 migrant workers back home from Libya.

Among the returnees, seven were dead. The deceased had died of ailments, mostly due to poor living conditions in the host country.

Haradhan Chandra was among the migrants who tried his luck by doing agriculture in the war-torn African country. Five years ago, the man from Noakhali district, arrived in Libya after spending Tk 500,000. Later he had to count Tk 1.3 million more to be relieved from the brokers’ trap. To arrange the money, he had to sell ornaments belonging to his wife and daughter.

His luck didn’t favour. The migrant worker’s life turned so terrible that he could hardly manage the medical expenses for treating his kidney failure.

Haradhan’s son Benu Nama Das said, “My father was scheduled to return to Bangladesh this month. He has returned, but not alive.”

Tania Begum from Raipur, Narsinghdi, Abdul Kuddus from Nawabganj of Dhaka, Shah Alam from Jhikargacha of Jeshore and Phul Miah from Chandipur of Gaibandha were among the deceased.

Phul Miah’s son Solaiman Sarker said his father used to send money irregularly during his 11-year long stay in Libya. Phul Miah worked at a hotel there. Because of his kidney disease, Phul Miah had been initiating his return to Bangladesh for six months. But the pandemic-hit worker couldn’t arrange his return flight. In December, Phul Miah succumbed to his ailment after a series of hospital visits.

Most of the migrant workers who returned alive were unemployed in Libya.

Shahidul Islam from Bogura was among them. His wife Rupali said, although Shahidul worked as a construction worker in Libya for eight years, he could not send money regularly.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Shahidul lost his job. That’s why he has returned home. Masud Molla from Belabo and Jurain Miah from Raypura, Narsinghdi, Maznu Miah from Srinagar, Kishoreganj, Abdul Mannan from Senbagh, Noakhali, Md Taher from Kalihati, Tangail, Eyaqub Islam from Haziganj, Chandpur, and others have the similar story to tell.

Migration experts said overseas employment seekers often go to war-torn Libya dreaming of entry into Italy. Some of them return home either as dead or bankrupt.

Soon after arrival on Wednesday, the returnees received food assistance from a BRAC, a non-government organisation.

Wage Earners' Welfare Board provided each family of the deceased Tk 35,000 while the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) arranged local transport costs for all the returnees.

According to sources, the special flight departed from the Benina International Airport, Benghazi on Tuesday at 6:00pm. Most of the returnees had migrated to Libya on travel visas.

*This report appeared in Prothom Alo print and online edition, and has been rewritten in English by Sadiqur Rahman