Torture against Bangladeshi female domestic helps in the Middle East (ME) countries is the outcome of the lack of governance in the overseas migration sector, opined Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Sunday.
In the last two months, a total of 380 Bangladeshi women returned home from the ME countries in the face of repression by their employers.
TIB expressed grave concern over the situation, and blamed the inaction of the authorities concerned for it.
The organisation also called for ensuring accountability of the recruiting agencies that are engaged in the migration process.
"The return of the Bangladeshi women from the Middle East in the face of barbaric torture is an example of the lack of governance in the migration sector," TIB Executive Director (ED) Dr Iftekharuzzaman said in a statement.
"The inaction of the concerned authorities is also frustrating," he also said
"It was expected that the government would take measures to ensure proper safety of the hundreds of Bangladeshi women, who went to work as domestic helps in the ME countries."
"But unfortunately the reality does not show reflection of any such measure," he added.
The TIB ED further said torture against female workers in the ME countries is a well-known phenomenon, and so, many countries have stopped sending their workers there.
"In this context, our government should take tough measures to protect the right of Bangladeshi women."
"These (measures) may include temporary suspension on sending Bangladeshi women to the ME countries unless proper safety for them is guaranteed," he opined.
TIB also demanded proper compensation for all the women, who returned home in the face of repression in their workplaces in the ME.
It urged the government to ensure safety of the female workers through signing bilateral agreements with the countries concerned.
There should be provision in the agreements for bringing the perpetrators to the book as well as for ensuring the rights of the workers, it added.
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