Why is this inhuman attitude?

The government reportedly has decided not to extend any help to the illegal Bangladesh workers, who have been rounded up by the Malaysian authorities recently with illegal migrant workers from other countries recently. The Bangladesh mission in Kuala Lumpur would make available the 'out pass' to these workers so that they can leave Malaysia.  No air tickets will be offered to workers who do not have enough money to buy the same. Nor the Malaysian authorities will bear the deportation cost. So failure to return home on their own will land the migrant workers in Malaysian prison.
So a good number of nearly 400 illegal Bangladeshi workers detained so far by the Malaysian law enforcers will have to pass their days in the prison of that country. The reason behind the government's reluctance to extend help to these poor workers is the latter's failure to avail the opportunity offered to them time and again to leave that country without any legal actions.
But do the workers now in trouble in Malaysia deserve this kind of hostile attitude on the part of the government of Bangladesh?
The government can wash its hands off saying, why did they enter Malaysia illegally? Or why did they not leave Malaysia when authorities of that country offered them the opportunity to do so?
Ideally speaking, no Bangladesh national should stay in any foreign country illegally and take up job there. But the reality is different. A sizeable portion of the estimated 7.0 million Bangladesh nationals working abroad is illegal. It is hard to give an actual number of these people.  
The country now earns over $12 billion a year as remittance. A substantial part comes from the illegal migrant workers. Policymakers seem very proud while referring to the rise in the country's remittance income that provides sufficient cushion to the balance of payments (BoP).   
Since the government does not refuse the money sent by illegal Bangladeshi migrant workers and allows the same to be deposited in the foreign currency (FC) accounts, it cannot shy away from extending help to the illegal workers in distress in a foreign land.
Moreover, a part of the money deposited in the 'Probashi Kallyan Fund' (expatriate welfare fund) also belongs to the so-called illegal migrant workers. It is the government, not the migrant workers or their representatives, which controls operations of the fund.
If the government feels that it is not legally justified to pay from its own coffer for return tickets of the illegal workers then the government should pay the sum from the expatriate welfare fund.  It cannot just remain indifferent to problems of its workers, legal or illegal, in an alien country.
There is a growing feeling among the expatriate Bangladeshis that all good words about them coming from the country's policymakers do not match with the latter's deeds. Since the majority of the expatriate workers are unskilled, half-literate and come from rural background, they are not held in high esteem by people at high places. So, the issues relating to wellbeing of the expatriate Bangladesh workers do not get due importance at the policy level.
But they deserve better treatment in view of their contribution to the national economy. Others even with less contribution, in terms of foreign exchange earning, enjoy greater privileges.
Exporters of various commodities through their respective trade bodies bargain with the government and take out benefits for themselves. Some of them enjoy certain privileges as 'commercially important' persons.
But the expatriate workers are not organised and they don't have any organisation of their own. Besides, it is not possible for them to form such an entity at home. All the benefits they deserve should come from the government spontaneously in consideration of their contribution.
Take the case of the inward remittance flow in the year 2013.  Compared to that of the previous years, the growth of remittance in the just concluded calendar year was very poor. Economists are worried that if the declining growth trend persists, the country's BoP might come under strain in the future months. The current exchange rate of Bangladesh taka against the greenback is thought to be one of the reasons for the decline in remittance flow.
Another important factor has been the poor outflow of manpower to the traditional markets in the Middle East. Lots have been said about reversing the situation by the government leaders. But the situation on the ground has not changed much. Many tend to consider it a 'diplomatic failure'.
The manpower ministry should look at the problems encountered by the expatriate Bangladesh workers, legal or illegal, in right perspective. Its first and foremost job should be to extend help to the workers in distress at their workplaces in foreign land.
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