Hundreds of Saudi-bound migrants gather near the Karwan Bazar intersection outside the Saudia Airlines office in the city on Sunday to collect tokens for air tickets to the Gulf country — FE photo Several migrants were injured as police charged baton on them in the city's Karwan Bazar area on Sunday, adding fuel to the ongoing agitation by the stranded Bangladeshi expatriates.
The police action created a chaotic situation in front of the Hotel Sonargaon that houses the office of the Saudi Arabian Airlines.
Many ticket-aspirants said they had been waiting in front of the hotel since Saturday night following the Saudia authority's announcement to resume ticketing service on Sunday morning.
The migrants became agitated after the authorities failed to resume the service in time, further escalating their tension.
Witnesses said thousands of ticket aspirants broke into the hotel premises to enter the airlines office around 10.00am as their patience crossed the limit.
At one stage, the police charged baton to bring the situation under control.
Later in the afternoon, the migrants staged demonstration on the roads in front of the Hotel, severely disrupting the vehicular movement in the city's key intersection.
They demanded of the airlines to sell tickets and tokens by giving priority who were on the verge of visa expiry.
Abdul Malek, a ticket-aspirant, told the FE that he has been waiting there since Saturday night to collect token for receiving Saudi-bound air ticket.
"I have been waiting here since last night amid uncertainty and misgivings," said Mr. Malek.
Police had to charge baton on the migrants who broke into the airlines office, he said, adding that some of them were injured during the action.
Though the chaos was resolved, several hundreds of migrants were still seen waiting there till the evening trying to manage token.
Saudia Airlines authority issued forms among the ticket-aspirants so that they can contact them depending on their visa validity.
Md Obaidur Rahman, another migrant worker, was waiting on the footpaths near the five-star hotel after fulfilling such forms.
"I have only 17 days in hand to save my job in Saudi Arabia. I am doubtful whether the Saudia authority can issue my tickets in time," he said.
He also alleged that the government is not playing due role to solve the issue.
"The government is busy with the issue of Rohingya, who are foreigners. They don't pay heed to us, who contribute to the country's economy through sending billions of taka in remittances," he said.
Bangladeshi expatriate workers in Saudi Arabia have been waiting to return to their workplaces there as the kingdom eases coronavirus restrictions.
Many of the migrants came home with return tickets but could not fly back due to a shortage of Biman flights amid the pandemic.
Saudi Airlines started issuing tickets for Bangladeshi expatriates on September 24, a day after migrant workers demonstrated in Dhaka for return tickets to the kingdom.
Sources said a number of expatriates also took position in front of the Biman Bangladesh Airlines office in the city's Motijheel.
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