For a clear manpower export policy
Thursday, 3 September 2009
Ferdous Alam
DESPITE its importance in the economy, manpower export, left to the whims of private agencies, remains a neglected sector. The worker, whose remittance create the cushion for the country, often falls victims to exploitation, cheating and other corrupt practices of the unscrupulous manpower agencies. In spite of the vital support they provide, they become victims of crimes.
How else to describe the experience of 31 women from rural Comilla and Narayanganj who were stranded at Zia airport last year failing to board a Lebanon-bound flight. They had valid passports and visas but no work permits. The manpower recruiting agency charged over Taka 50,000 from each of them without giving the work permits. Some officials in the relevant government department helped the agency in the illegal act. Deep into debts, the victims persuaded parents or relatives to sell whatever they had. Yet they had no idea how they would repay their loans.
Their experience is a symbolic of what happens to many others like them with nowhere to go for seeking redress. Every fifth worker, who seeks job abroad, falls victim to fraud. This has been happening year after year when Bangladesh's South Asian and other competitors in manpower exports have streamlined their manpower trade to benefit the individual workers as well as their national economies. At home, these countries have developed systems that make manpower export fraud difficult. The embassies of these countries remain reasonably active to protect the rights and interests of their workers abroad.
Foreign employers think twice before flouting the contracts with their workers on wage and other benefits. These countries do not allow their workers to take up underpaid jobs. The governments in their countries increased allocations to train the workers, eyeing the overseas job markets. These countries send skilled workers who earn more than unskilled labourers. Banks and other financial institutions in these countries provide loans on easy terms to workers to meet costs of going abroad on jobs.
It is obvious that Bangladesh lags behind in these areas. One of the first tasks for the government would be to ensure that no unscrupulous manpower agency who cheat the workers, can do business. The authorised agencies must be made to operate honestly under proper regulatory supervision. They cannot be allowed to charge more than the government-approved fees from the workers. Bangladesh missions abroad need to be geared to attend to the problems of expatriate workers.
The government should, like the other subcontinental countries, arrange training opportunities for the workers seeking jobs abroad because a skilled worker earns more. The overseas job seekers must be prevented from accepting underpaid employment. Financial organisations should be encouraged to lend to the workers on easy terms which they can repay later.
DESPITE its importance in the economy, manpower export, left to the whims of private agencies, remains a neglected sector. The worker, whose remittance create the cushion for the country, often falls victims to exploitation, cheating and other corrupt practices of the unscrupulous manpower agencies. In spite of the vital support they provide, they become victims of crimes.
How else to describe the experience of 31 women from rural Comilla and Narayanganj who were stranded at Zia airport last year failing to board a Lebanon-bound flight. They had valid passports and visas but no work permits. The manpower recruiting agency charged over Taka 50,000 from each of them without giving the work permits. Some officials in the relevant government department helped the agency in the illegal act. Deep into debts, the victims persuaded parents or relatives to sell whatever they had. Yet they had no idea how they would repay their loans.
Their experience is a symbolic of what happens to many others like them with nowhere to go for seeking redress. Every fifth worker, who seeks job abroad, falls victim to fraud. This has been happening year after year when Bangladesh's South Asian and other competitors in manpower exports have streamlined their manpower trade to benefit the individual workers as well as their national economies. At home, these countries have developed systems that make manpower export fraud difficult. The embassies of these countries remain reasonably active to protect the rights and interests of their workers abroad.
Foreign employers think twice before flouting the contracts with their workers on wage and other benefits. These countries do not allow their workers to take up underpaid jobs. The governments in their countries increased allocations to train the workers, eyeing the overseas job markets. These countries send skilled workers who earn more than unskilled labourers. Banks and other financial institutions in these countries provide loans on easy terms to workers to meet costs of going abroad on jobs.
It is obvious that Bangladesh lags behind in these areas. One of the first tasks for the government would be to ensure that no unscrupulous manpower agency who cheat the workers, can do business. The authorised agencies must be made to operate honestly under proper regulatory supervision. They cannot be allowed to charge more than the government-approved fees from the workers. Bangladesh missions abroad need to be geared to attend to the problems of expatriate workers.
The government should, like the other subcontinental countries, arrange training opportunities for the workers seeking jobs abroad because a skilled worker earns more. The overseas job seekers must be prevented from accepting underpaid employment. Financial organisations should be encouraged to lend to the workers on easy terms which they can repay later.