Ministry didn’t create any sufferings for migrants: Expat minister

Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmad
UNB file photo

The minister for expatriates' welfare and overseas employment Imran Ahmad on Friday claimed the ministry didn't create any sufferings for the migrant workers. Instead the ministry subsidised Tk 25,000 to the Saudi-bound migrants to bear their quarantine expenses in Saudi Arabia.

“We also declared we would bear the costs of Tk 1,600 needed for PCR test in the airport,” Imran Ahmad added.

The minister said this on Friday morning while replying queries of newsmen over the sufferings of migrants’ workers, including the high airfare, in a press conference to mark the international migrants’ day.

In the briefing, he advised the journalists to ask the questions over the mismanagement in the airport and the high airfare to the civil aviation authority and the immigration department.

Labour market in Malaysia 

Bangladesh and Malaysia will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Sunday to reopen the labour market in Malaysia after a three-year closure.

Regarding the matter, the expat minister said "Detailed information on the MoU will not be available right now. Everything will be revealed after the MoU is signed".

When asked whether the workers will be allowed to change the recruiting organisation in Malaysia, Imran Ahmad said "We have to abide by the rules and regulations of the country which will take workers. It is up to them whether the workers will be allowed to do so."

Saying the cost of going to Malaysia is yet to be fixed, he said a lower cost will be taken from the aspirant migrants.

While talking about the deceptions of recruiting agencies, brokers and syndicates, the minister said, "We know many incidents happened in the past. I have been trying to erase the past since I got the ministerial post. I am not in favour of any syndicate."