Missions abroad asked to keep in touch with expats

The foreign ministry has asked all the missions abroad to enhance communications with the expatriate Bangladeshis.

"We're doing so to avert any untoward incident within the Bangladeshi community abroad," foreign minister Dr AK Abdul Momen told reporters on Tuesday.

He said this after a meeting of four ministers who were elected from north-eastern Sylhet region.

Mr Momen cited an instance of a recent incident of such awkwardness in Kuwait.

Some workers staged a demonstration on the premises of Bangladesh embassy there for non-payment of wages by a local company.

At one stage, they went on the rampage, he mentioned.

The local mission negotiated with the company and resolved the problem, the minister said.

Such incidents are damaging for the image of Bangladesh as well as for the workers living there because the Kuwaiti law-enforcers noticed it, he mentioned.

"Apprehension was there that Bangladeshi workers might face a ban due to the incident. But we managed to convince the Kuwait administration that such incident won't take place further."

"So, we've asked other missions also to remain vigilant and gear up communications with the Bangladeshi diaspora in their respective countries to prevent such incident," Mr Momen maintained.

State minister for expatriate welfare ministry Imran Ahmed was also present at the meeting.

His ministry in collaboration with foreign ministry is working to chalk up a strategy to bring an end to the miseries of the Bangladeshi workers living abroad.

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