Migrant workers need diplomatic support in Saudi Arabia

Male and female workers from Saudi Arabia have been returning home. To be more precise, they are being deported before the scheduled time. Under normal circumstances, the families would be happy when their dear ones returned, completing their contracts. One group returns and another group flies off, that is how the process works. But the early return of the the workers now is cruel and unusual.

According to the rules, there is no scope to work on free visa in Saudi Arabia. The workers have to work in the companies to which they are appointed until the contracts end. They return home after the term is completed. The problem is, a number of companies terminate many workers before the tenure causing huge suffering and financial loss to these workers. They are left with no choice but to work for other companies, that too illegally.

On the other hand, recently large numbersof female workers have been enduring terrible physical and mental torture in Saudi Arabia. Many of them are returning home due to such abuse. Their sad and distressed faces upon return at the Shahjalal airport in Dhaka reveals how much pain they had to go through.

A number of female workers said they were not even given food regularly, let alone regular salaries and bonuses. A lot of them died of torture and returned in coffins.
The Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh said, if anyone works outside the specified company, or escapes or violates any section of the Iqama, border and labour law, then the law enforcement agencies have the right to detain the accused on the basis of specific allegations. They can deport the workers at the Saudi government’s cost through the deportation centre.

It is unfortunate that the Bangladesh embassy in Riyadh has remained quiet about the abuses faced by the workers and also about the way the recruiting companies have been depriving them of regular salaries and bonuses, violating the contracts. Bangladesh ambassador to Saudi Arabia Golam Masih advised the workers to abide by the Saudi rules. We hope he will focus on bringing the matter of Bangladesh government’s concern before the Saudi authorities rather than just giving advice to the workers.

Diplomatic efforts must be strengthened in this regard. This is very shocking that foreign minister AK Abdul Momen dismissed the issue, saying that number of female workers returning home due to torture was very low. It is a matter of shame for the country even if one female worker is abused in a foreign land. When a number of East Asian countries including Philippines stopped sending female workers to Saudi Arabia because of torture, Bangladesh needed to think twice before sending female workers to the country. Saudi Arabia does not care much about human rights, but that does not mean the country can torture female workers this way.

The foreign minister also said no decision has been made to stop sending female workers to Saudi Arabia. In that case, the government has to ensure that no workers will be ill-treated after arriving there. It cannot be accepted that a female worker, who goes to the country to try her luck, will return tortured or in a coffin. The government must ensure the female workers' security as it is the government that issued the permission to send them to Saudi Arabia.