Dhaka's diplomatic drive to end impasse over Bangladeshi workers' unrest in Kuwait has faced a setback as the oil rich Muslim kingdom is still not keen to host a visit by the country's foreign advisor, a senior official said Saturday.
Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury proposed the urgent visit on July 28, a day after the Bangladeshi workers staged unprecedented strike in the Persian Gulf nation over low wages and exploitations by their employers.
"But so far we haven't heard anything from Kuwait. We are waiting for a positive reply," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The proposal for the urgent visit was made during a meeting between the foreign adviser and the ambassador of Kuwait in Dhaka, as the government expressed its eagerness to help resolve the labour disputes.
But oil rich Kuwait resorted to a hardline approach to settle the labour disputes, beating and arresting hundreds of striking Bangladeshi workers and sending them back home.
According to the latest counting by the Ministry of Expatriate's Welfare and Overseas Employment, more than 400 Bangladesh workers have been rounded up and sent home by Kuwaiti authorities.
Secretary of the ministry Abdul Matin Chowdhury said the government is now trying to settle the labour disputes through its labour officials posted at the Bangladeshi embassy in Kuwait.
"Our officials held meeting with authorities of 24 Kuwaiti employers and managed to resolve disputes," Mr. Chowdhury said and added they are also negotiating with two-three more companies to end the impasse.
Mr. Chowdhury said the government has also urged the Kuwaiti authorities not to deport any more workers.
"We will have a reply from Kuwaiti government tomorrow (Sunday) on our request not to deport any more Bangladeshis," he said.
Mr. Chowdhury said the ministry has also taken initiative to get back the belongings and arrears wages of the deported workers.
"Our labour officials are making contact with the employers of the deported workers. We hope we will be able to get back their belongings and arrears salaries very soon," he said.
The secretary termed the deportations from Saudi Arabia as a 'routine action phenomenon' by the Muslim kingdom, saying the oil rich has sent back only the workers who have overstayed there without permission for months.
Since 1976, nearly half a million Bangladeshi workers have gone to Kuwait with jobs, according to government statistics. But last week's strike was the first time Bangladeshi workers staged organised protests against low wages and exploitations.
Besides, tens of thousands of soldiers have been engaged in mine clearing jobs Kuwait immediately after the first Gulf war in 1990.
This year, only 11 Bangladeshis found job in the Muslim kingdom in the first seven months (January-July) of the year 2008 as Kuwait imposed an unofficial embargo on recruitment from Dhaka since the beginning of 2007.
