Bangladeshi workers in Kuwait again on strike
Tuesday, 19 August 2008
KUWAIT, Aug 18 (bdnews24.com): A small group of Bangladeshi workers in Kuwait went on strike from Sunday, still unhappy over low pay after demonstrations by overseas workers were quelled in the Gulf state in July.
Expatriate Welfare and Employment Secretary Abdul Matin Chowdhury told the news agency Monday that the Kuwait police arrested some 16 Bangladeshi workers. Attempts are now underway to release them, he added.
Quoting officials of the Bangladesh mission in Kuwait, he said some 16 Bangladeshi cleaners had downed tools and reportedly resisted the police.
Meanwhile, The Arab Times, a Kuwaiti daily, reported Monday that some 20 Bangladeshis, working at the Kuwait Parliament Building, called the strike.
The angry workers alleged that the authorities had deducted a portion of their wages beyond the company act.
Acting National Assembly Speaker Roudhan Al-Roudhan vowed to discuss the issue with the employer, the report said.
The newspaper also said that the officials of the labour ministry had come to know that other Bangladeshi workers in other sectors might also go for rigorous movements. Security forces were asked to pay heed.
Another daily, The Kuwait Times, quoting officials of the ministry of labour and social welfare, said that security measures had been beefed up in the fear of further demonstration.
Social Affairs and Labour Minister Bader Al-Duwailah said measures would be taken against companies that were depriving workers of their deserved salaries.
Security was tightened to maintain law and order in the country, he said.
South Asian workers in Kuwait, including Bangladeshis, called a strike and held mass demonstrations at the end of July, demanding better pay and working conditions.
The Kuwait police arrested at least 800 Bangladeshi workers at the time, and deported over 1,129 workers to Bangladesh in several phases. Some of them were deported for staying illegally after their work permits had expired.
Meanwhile, an FE report adds: Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury will visit Kuwait early next month to discuss the issues relating to working condition of around half a million Bangladeshis serving in that country, officials said Monday.
They said Kuwait has agreed to host the bilateral talks as Bangladesh proposed such a meeting on July 28, a day after the Bangladeshi workers agitated over low wages and exploitations by their employers.
Speaking to a group of journalists on Monday Mr. Chowdhury, who is also in-charge of the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment (MEWOE), said: "I am looking forward to this opportunity to discuss with the Kuwaiti leadership issues pertaining to our migrant workers. In many ways this will be a significant visit."
The Ministry of Expatriate's Welfare and Overseas Employment said more than 1150 Bangladeshi workers have been deported by Kuwaiti authorities.
"We will negotiate with the Kuwaiti authority about raising the amount of minimum wages for Bangladeshi workers in that country and ensure better work environment," a senior official said.
He said issues relating to arrears, insurance claims and other service benefits of the deported Bangladeshi workers will also come up for discussion.
Apart from this, the official said: "We will urge Kuwait government to open its door for Bangladeshi job aspirants."
Expatriate Welfare and Employment Secretary Abdul Matin Chowdhury told the news agency Monday that the Kuwait police arrested some 16 Bangladeshi workers. Attempts are now underway to release them, he added.
Quoting officials of the Bangladesh mission in Kuwait, he said some 16 Bangladeshi cleaners had downed tools and reportedly resisted the police.
Meanwhile, The Arab Times, a Kuwaiti daily, reported Monday that some 20 Bangladeshis, working at the Kuwait Parliament Building, called the strike.
The angry workers alleged that the authorities had deducted a portion of their wages beyond the company act.
Acting National Assembly Speaker Roudhan Al-Roudhan vowed to discuss the issue with the employer, the report said.
The newspaper also said that the officials of the labour ministry had come to know that other Bangladeshi workers in other sectors might also go for rigorous movements. Security forces were asked to pay heed.
Another daily, The Kuwait Times, quoting officials of the ministry of labour and social welfare, said that security measures had been beefed up in the fear of further demonstration.
Social Affairs and Labour Minister Bader Al-Duwailah said measures would be taken against companies that were depriving workers of their deserved salaries.
Security was tightened to maintain law and order in the country, he said.
South Asian workers in Kuwait, including Bangladeshis, called a strike and held mass demonstrations at the end of July, demanding better pay and working conditions.
The Kuwait police arrested at least 800 Bangladeshi workers at the time, and deported over 1,129 workers to Bangladesh in several phases. Some of them were deported for staying illegally after their work permits had expired.
Meanwhile, an FE report adds: Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury will visit Kuwait early next month to discuss the issues relating to working condition of around half a million Bangladeshis serving in that country, officials said Monday.
They said Kuwait has agreed to host the bilateral talks as Bangladesh proposed such a meeting on July 28, a day after the Bangladeshi workers agitated over low wages and exploitations by their employers.
Speaking to a group of journalists on Monday Mr. Chowdhury, who is also in-charge of the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment (MEWOE), said: "I am looking forward to this opportunity to discuss with the Kuwaiti leadership issues pertaining to our migrant workers. In many ways this will be a significant visit."
The Ministry of Expatriate's Welfare and Overseas Employment said more than 1150 Bangladeshi workers have been deported by Kuwaiti authorities.
"We will negotiate with the Kuwaiti authority about raising the amount of minimum wages for Bangladeshi workers in that country and ensure better work environment," a senior official said.
He said issues relating to arrears, insurance claims and other service benefits of the deported Bangladeshi workers will also come up for discussion.
Apart from this, the official said: "We will urge Kuwait government to open its door for Bangladeshi job aspirants."