BD workers taking up jobs in troubled spots sans security

Arafat Ara | Published: March 15, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

A significant number of Bangladeshi workers are now getting jobs in the war-torn countries without being assured of job security there, sources said.
They said as the government was unable to create a desired level of overseas employment, it was giving permission to the recruiting agencies for sending Bangladeshi workers to these 'problematic destinations' without scrutinising their job status.
As a result, some of the outbound workers have already faced great problems at their respective workplaces, especially in Libya and Iraq.
As per official data of Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), some 7,456 Bangladeshis went to Iraq in 2013, whereas the number was 359 in 2012 and 234 in 2011. Besides, 211 Bangladeshis were sent to Sudan in 2013; 23 in 2012, and 79 in 2011.
Although only 89 workers secured jobs in Libya in 2011, the numbers were 7,175 and 14,975 in 2013 and 2012 respectively, the data showed.
Besides, during the 2014 January and February period, a total of 1,858 Bangladeshis went to Iraq, 654 to Libya, and 11 to Sudan.
Sources said in order to reverse the present low trend of labour migration, the authorities were not examining the workers' demands properly.
Bangladesh embassies in the war-ravaged countries, including Iraq, are attesting workers' visas without investigating the reputation of the companies concerned, job nature, salary status, contract period etc.
Many times the workers are not getting the desired jobs in accordance with the contract paper.
Some 22 Bangladeshis, out of 27, returned home from Iraq recently after facing sufferings in many ways.
The workers said they had gone to the country upon getting BMET clearance.
Despite the fact that there is a small scope for foreign workers in Libya, the unscrupulous manpower recruiters, in collusion with a section of immigration officials, are sending the fortune-seekers to the war-torn country on regular basis.
A large portion of the 45,000 Bangladeshis currently working in Libya entered the country illegally with assistance of such kinds of corrupt syndicates. Some entered through Egypt and Sudan, while others went further to Italy, according to a report of the Bangladesh embassy in Tripoli, the Libyan capital.
Tasnim Siddique, founding chair of Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) has expressed worries over sending Bangladeshi workers to war-hit countries.
She said if the government could create employment opportunities in normal markets, it had no need to send workers to war-ravaged countries.
"Why the government is sending workers to Sudan that has been experiencing civil war over a long time," the RMMRU chair said.
She said in order to reverse the present low trend in overseas jobs, the authorities were giving permission under demand pressed by recruiting agencies.
Ms Siddique, however, said if the government could tap the Malaysian market, the trend in labour migration would remain stable.
Due to hazardous working environment in many countries, Bangladeshi youths are facing life-threatening diseases, accidents including stroke, heart failure and workplace disasters etc.
According to the government's Expatriates Welfare desk, during the last January-November period of 2013, some 25 Bangladeshis had died in Libya, five in Iraq and one in Sudan. The maximum number of cases was mentioned as natural deaths that means stroke, heart failure etc.
Bangladeshi Ovibashi Mohila Sramik Association (BOMSA) director Sumaiya Islam said normally war-torn countries needed huge numbers of foreign workers to rebuild their infrastructure.
But the government should be aware of the workers' protection, when they send them to these markets.
A top official at the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment said the workers were securing jobs in those countries on their own.
"Besides, we collect undertakings from the recruiting agencies about workers' protection," he added.