KSA-bound BD migrants for auto visa renewal

The Saudi Arabia-bound stranded Bangladeshi migrant workers have demanded automatic renewal of visa so that they can return to work on time.
To this end, they met expatriates' welfare and overseas employment minister Imran Ahmad on Monday.
They said almost 90-per cent workers are facing visa renewal-related problems.
If visa is not renewed automatically, only 10 per cent workers can go to Saudi Arabia to restart their jobs.
On the other hand, the workers also thronged Bangladesh Biman office and Saudi Airlines office in the capital, Dhaka, on the day to collect air tickets.
Many of them have lodged complaints over services, including information regarding air tickets.
Talking to the FE, migrant worker Mohiuddin Ashik said their kafils (employers/sponsors) are not cooperating with visa extension-related services, making them worried about whether they could join work on time.
"My kafil informed me of his unwillingness to go to foreign ministry for attestation of application as he won't bear any hassle for me," he said.
Attested application is required for renewal of visa.
The kafil told Mr Ashik that he has nothing to do if Ashik fails to join work.
"I have no problem if you can't join work. I'd recruit another worker to continue my workshop," the kafil told Mr Ashik on Sunday night.
If visa is not renewed automatically, the aggrieved Ashik said, only 10 per cent workers can get chance to Saudi Arabia to return to their respective worksites.
Most of the kafils are not cooperating with their workers, he complained.
A worker has to show application by his/her kafil, main copies of exit and re-entry visa, photocopy of iqama and passport to get visa renewal from Saudi embassy in Dhaka.
Meanwhile, minister Mr Imran told the media that they have talked to foreign minister about the visa renewal issue and hoped to find a solution soon.
Foreign ministry is communicating with the Saudi authorities concerned to resolve the visa-related complication, he said.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Saudi government extended the validity of iqama (work permit) for 24 days.
According to insiders, nearly 100,000 workers returned home 'on leave', but most of them could not return to their job destination countries so far.
An estimated 50,000 workers returned from Saudi Arabia and the rest came from Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and other countries.
Saudi Arabia, the largest destination of Bangladeshi migrant workers, has permitted workers to return to workplaces on September 15. But workers are facing ticket and visa-related problems and also in obtaining Covid-19 certificates on time.
After a period of stress and uncertainty, the first flight of Saudi-bound workers took off on Friday night. But the remaining workers are still in a quandary whether they could return to work or not.

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