Respecting every dollar the remitters send
Syed Fattahul Alim | Friday, 8 August 2008
With the remittance from the expatriate wage earners rising in amount, the government has decided to reward the highest remitters. The reward will provide them with special citizen's benefits.' Such persons will enjoy the status of commercially important persons (CIPs) and the entitlements that go with it.
This is a welcome decision on the part of the government, for it will be a kind of recognition given by the home country to the people who earn hard currency for the nation by the sweat of their brow. And such recognition has been overdue for the simple reason that they have achieved a feat that the business community, especially those who are engaged in the export trade should envy. But there is a difference. Unlike the export houses that enjoy stacks of benefits and facilities from the government, because they bring in foreign currency for the economy, the expatriate wage earners had been doing their part unaided. In most cases, theirs are the stories of tragedy and tears. They had to sell their properties to buy the opportunities from the manpower agents to travel abroad for jobs. But in a large number of cases what they had to go through was untold misery of harassment, treachery and deception. Their misfortunes followed them even after they landed in foreign lands, where, in many cases, they had to experience another round of cheating, betrayal and deceit at the hands of the recruiter's agents or the fake employer. The worst part of these untold tragedies is that in those foreign lands the diplomatic missions of their home country proved to be of little help. So, forsaken by everyone, they had to reconcile with their lots alone, without help from any quarters. And even amid such misfortunes, they tried to send home some hard earned hard currencies for their families back home. But such reverses could hardly dampen their indomitable spirit to survive, struggle and come out victorious. Compared to their case, the foreign currency earning business people have enjoyed the treatment due to royalty. They got every kind of support from the government, if only because they were creating jobs and earning hard currency for the country. Though there cannot be any comparison between the two cases, yet so far as foreign currency earning is the mission they have at least one point in common. Unfortunately, the successive governments in the beginning could not fully comprehend the significance of the madness of these mostly half-literate or illiterate people from the rural background to go abroad after disposing of their valuable possessions and risking the money so collected to the manpower agents. If the governments of the past had any inkling of what those crazy job-seekers in foreign lands were up to, then they would have certainly adopted schemes to help them in every way, first by proving information about the job prospects, the rules and regulations and the procedures involved from the beginning through to the end. They could also be helped in searching jobs abroad by opening service centres and awareness programmes. The diplomatic missions of the country abroad, most of whom have the sole job of keeping their jobs only, could at least create some scope for involving themselves in some work by helping the expatriate wage earners employed there. Being mostly from rural background and unaware of their rights as citizens of their home country to demand service from their diplomatic missions, they were, on the contrary, rather shy of approaching these high government officials, whom they revere and hold with awe. But the officials of those missions, on their part, neither have ever tried to befriend their compatriots and remove their shyness. Had there been rapport between our Bangladeshi wage earners abroad and our diplomatic missions stationed there, the story of these misfortune-ridden foreign currency earners would be different. They would then get more respect from the recruiting agents, the host governments and their employers there. It is not only the respect they would have earned, better attention, orientation and training would resulted in landing them better jobs and what would follow from it, better and quality earning by them. The upshot of it all would be greater volume foreign currency pouring into the economy. For considering the size of our manpower resources, we are still behind many Southeast Asian nations in terms of the amount of foreign currency earnings annually.
But it is always better than never. And at long last, the government, in a sharp departure from the traditional practice of giving only lip service to the wage earners, has now decided to give them something substantial.
While appreciating the move to acknowledge the contribution of the expatriate wage earners to the economy, it would also not be out of place to consider the issue in a fresher light. Those who would send the highest amount of hard currency home would get the status of Commercially Important Persons (CIPs). They deserve the honour, and there is doubt about that. But what about the thousands of others who individually are not that lucky to earn a large sum of money either from their jobs or from the very small size of the businesses they run in the foreign parts, but together they send the lion's share of foreign remittance back home? Though it may not be possible to honour or recognise them individually, the government can recognise their contribution to the economy by various other means. They may be extended better treatment in the national airline as well at the airport at home. At the foreign airports and destinations, special arrangements may be made to facilitate their journey until they reach the unknown employer in a strange land. It is not enough that every effort is being made so that the currencies are remitted home through official channels. There are also jobs for the government to do, once the foreign remittance enters the economy at home. In absence of proper knowledge or opportunities to invest, most of this foreign money is used in the unproductive sector such as for buying gold, lands and flats. There is, however, no reason to think that the wage earners living abroad or their families at home lack entrepreneurship. In fact, the business environment of the country is yet to be hassle-free and that is more so for the small scale operators. The government may create special service at the government offices, at the banks and other financial institutions and create special schemes and instruments for them to invest their money in gainful activities.
The good news from the government has come at a time when many wage earners are going through an ordeal in the Middle East, at the moment in Kuwait. It is necessary to know the real reasons why the otherwise friendly government of Kuwait has been harsh with Bangladeshi workers employed in their country. It is really strange that Bangladeshi people, who are devout Muslims, have been through such bitter experience in another brotherly Muslim country. Before resorting to any kind of knee-jerk reaction as many have been suggesting, the issue must be first sorted with the host government itself. What is most important is, in spite of everything, one has to honour the law of the country where one works. If any injustice has been done to the Bangladeshi workers by their local employers, the issue has to be brought to the knowledge of the Kuwait government. It is the duty of the Bangladeshi mission in Kuwait or, in any other country for that matter, to do the job. And if the problem is beyond their ambit, then the government at home may step in and resolve the issue at the government to government level. The most important aspect of the issue is to address it before it comes to a head as it has happened in the present case.
It must be kept in mind that every single unit of foreign currency earned from abroad adds to the fatter incoming stream of remittance reaching the economy. So, enthused that the magnitude of the remittance has swelled to a record sum of US$829 million in a single month last July, up by US$21 million from what it was in last March, one should not be complacent and ignore the developments of the kind that occurred recently in Kuwait. As said before, every single dollar coming in counts. Moreover, one should not also forget the story of all the suffering and deprivation of the wage earner sending that particular dollar home. Here the wage earners of Kuwait are a case in point.
This is a welcome decision on the part of the government, for it will be a kind of recognition given by the home country to the people who earn hard currency for the nation by the sweat of their brow. And such recognition has been overdue for the simple reason that they have achieved a feat that the business community, especially those who are engaged in the export trade should envy. But there is a difference. Unlike the export houses that enjoy stacks of benefits and facilities from the government, because they bring in foreign currency for the economy, the expatriate wage earners had been doing their part unaided. In most cases, theirs are the stories of tragedy and tears. They had to sell their properties to buy the opportunities from the manpower agents to travel abroad for jobs. But in a large number of cases what they had to go through was untold misery of harassment, treachery and deception. Their misfortunes followed them even after they landed in foreign lands, where, in many cases, they had to experience another round of cheating, betrayal and deceit at the hands of the recruiter's agents or the fake employer. The worst part of these untold tragedies is that in those foreign lands the diplomatic missions of their home country proved to be of little help. So, forsaken by everyone, they had to reconcile with their lots alone, without help from any quarters. And even amid such misfortunes, they tried to send home some hard earned hard currencies for their families back home. But such reverses could hardly dampen their indomitable spirit to survive, struggle and come out victorious. Compared to their case, the foreign currency earning business people have enjoyed the treatment due to royalty. They got every kind of support from the government, if only because they were creating jobs and earning hard currency for the country. Though there cannot be any comparison between the two cases, yet so far as foreign currency earning is the mission they have at least one point in common. Unfortunately, the successive governments in the beginning could not fully comprehend the significance of the madness of these mostly half-literate or illiterate people from the rural background to go abroad after disposing of their valuable possessions and risking the money so collected to the manpower agents. If the governments of the past had any inkling of what those crazy job-seekers in foreign lands were up to, then they would have certainly adopted schemes to help them in every way, first by proving information about the job prospects, the rules and regulations and the procedures involved from the beginning through to the end. They could also be helped in searching jobs abroad by opening service centres and awareness programmes. The diplomatic missions of the country abroad, most of whom have the sole job of keeping their jobs only, could at least create some scope for involving themselves in some work by helping the expatriate wage earners employed there. Being mostly from rural background and unaware of their rights as citizens of their home country to demand service from their diplomatic missions, they were, on the contrary, rather shy of approaching these high government officials, whom they revere and hold with awe. But the officials of those missions, on their part, neither have ever tried to befriend their compatriots and remove their shyness. Had there been rapport between our Bangladeshi wage earners abroad and our diplomatic missions stationed there, the story of these misfortune-ridden foreign currency earners would be different. They would then get more respect from the recruiting agents, the host governments and their employers there. It is not only the respect they would have earned, better attention, orientation and training would resulted in landing them better jobs and what would follow from it, better and quality earning by them. The upshot of it all would be greater volume foreign currency pouring into the economy. For considering the size of our manpower resources, we are still behind many Southeast Asian nations in terms of the amount of foreign currency earnings annually.
But it is always better than never. And at long last, the government, in a sharp departure from the traditional practice of giving only lip service to the wage earners, has now decided to give them something substantial.
While appreciating the move to acknowledge the contribution of the expatriate wage earners to the economy, it would also not be out of place to consider the issue in a fresher light. Those who would send the highest amount of hard currency home would get the status of Commercially Important Persons (CIPs). They deserve the honour, and there is doubt about that. But what about the thousands of others who individually are not that lucky to earn a large sum of money either from their jobs or from the very small size of the businesses they run in the foreign parts, but together they send the lion's share of foreign remittance back home? Though it may not be possible to honour or recognise them individually, the government can recognise their contribution to the economy by various other means. They may be extended better treatment in the national airline as well at the airport at home. At the foreign airports and destinations, special arrangements may be made to facilitate their journey until they reach the unknown employer in a strange land. It is not enough that every effort is being made so that the currencies are remitted home through official channels. There are also jobs for the government to do, once the foreign remittance enters the economy at home. In absence of proper knowledge or opportunities to invest, most of this foreign money is used in the unproductive sector such as for buying gold, lands and flats. There is, however, no reason to think that the wage earners living abroad or their families at home lack entrepreneurship. In fact, the business environment of the country is yet to be hassle-free and that is more so for the small scale operators. The government may create special service at the government offices, at the banks and other financial institutions and create special schemes and instruments for them to invest their money in gainful activities.
The good news from the government has come at a time when many wage earners are going through an ordeal in the Middle East, at the moment in Kuwait. It is necessary to know the real reasons why the otherwise friendly government of Kuwait has been harsh with Bangladeshi workers employed in their country. It is really strange that Bangladeshi people, who are devout Muslims, have been through such bitter experience in another brotherly Muslim country. Before resorting to any kind of knee-jerk reaction as many have been suggesting, the issue must be first sorted with the host government itself. What is most important is, in spite of everything, one has to honour the law of the country where one works. If any injustice has been done to the Bangladeshi workers by their local employers, the issue has to be brought to the knowledge of the Kuwait government. It is the duty of the Bangladeshi mission in Kuwait or, in any other country for that matter, to do the job. And if the problem is beyond their ambit, then the government at home may step in and resolve the issue at the government to government level. The most important aspect of the issue is to address it before it comes to a head as it has happened in the present case.
It must be kept in mind that every single unit of foreign currency earned from abroad adds to the fatter incoming stream of remittance reaching the economy. So, enthused that the magnitude of the remittance has swelled to a record sum of US$829 million in a single month last July, up by US$21 million from what it was in last March, one should not be complacent and ignore the developments of the kind that occurred recently in Kuwait. As said before, every single dollar coming in counts. Moreover, one should not also forget the story of all the suffering and deprivation of the wage earner sending that particular dollar home. Here the wage earners of Kuwait are a case in point.