Amnesty for illegal workers, including Bangladeshis, in Oman would start from today (Sunday), said the Bangladesh mission office in Muscat.
During the grace period illegal workers would be allowed to come out from hiding in Oman without legal penalties, Robiul Islam, labour counsellor at the Bangladesh mission office in Oman, told the FE over phone.
The grace period would begin on May 3 (today) and end on July 30, he added.
However, talking to the FE, Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment (EWOE) secretary Khandakar Iftekhar Haidar said all illegal Bangladeshi workers would not have to come back home after getting benefit of the amnesty as there are job opportunities in Oman.
"Those who will get jobs after getting legal status can stay there and others will be able to take advantage of returning home without any penalties," he said.
He also said Bangladesh would request the Oman government to give the opportunity to regularise the workers with jobs instead of repatriating them home.
Dhaka would start a diplomatic initiative to create employment opportunities for the Bangladeshis, he mentioned.
"As the Middle Eastern country is recruiting workers from Bangladesh, we will request them to give a chance to those who will take the advantage of amnesty first," said the secretary.
Already the Bangladesh embassy in Oman started such an initiative, he added.
Around 50,000 people were expected to seize the benefit of the amnesty, said Robiul Islam. "It is very difficult to identify the number of illegal people there," he added.
The workers who were willing to come back home would just pay only the air fare, Mr Islam also said.
Besides, the Gulf News reported that more than 55,000 foreigners, mostly from the Indian subcontinent, are expected to take the advantage of the amnesty that will start from May 3 to July 30. The amnesty will only apply to absconding workers and those who have overstayed their visa periods. Infiltrators will not be included in the amnesty.
It also said that expatriates constitute 1.82 million, or 44 per cent, of Oman's total population of 4.16 million.
Some 948,532 Bangladeshis secured jobs in Oman during 1976-2014 period, according to the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) data.
arafat_ara@hotmail.com
