Tk 3.34m given to ailing migrant workers in 5 years

The government has provided Tk 3.34 million as financial assistance to the ailing migrant workers for their medical treatment over the last five years, officials said.
Some 30 workers returning home from Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Oman, Malaysia, Libya, Bahrain, Dubai, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi got the financial help during the 2009 and 2014 period.
Most of the workers returned home from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and they were provided with Tk 740,000 while the second largest amount of Tk 655,000 went to those who returned from Oman during the period.
The patients suffered from heart disease, kidney disease and physical disability following accidents etc.
Assistant director of Wage Earners' Welfare Board (WEWB) Zahid Anwar said sick migrant workers have been getting financial assistance from the fund since long.
And from 2012 the board decided to give a maximum of Tk 100,000 to each sick patient as per the amount sought in his or her application, he mentioned.
Besides, the WEWB is now considering increasing the amount of the financial grant to Tk 300,000 per worker in the maximum which is going to be implemented shortly, he said.
For availing the grant applications have to be submitted to the authority concerned within one year of the applicants' returning home.
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