Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Wednesday held the poor living standard and higher migration cost responsible for the significant number of deaths of migrant workers abroad.
Expressing his worries at a press briefing Khandker Mosharraf Hossain said they have already taken steps to reduce migration cost so that the outbound workers get a healthy life in their jobs abroad.
The press briefing was organised following some reports, published in national dailies on 'death of Bangladeshi workers abroad' at the ministry office in the city.
Bangladeshi migrants are forced to take extra pressure, inferior food and unhygienic homes to recover their migration cost within their contract period which causes various diseases, even death, he said.
The minister, however, mentioned, that the number of deaths of migrant workers is not more than the statistic available at home. "But one death of migrant worker abroad is regretful for us". The number should come down to zero, he added.
According to the ministry, a total of 3076 workers died abroad in 2013 up from 2878 in 2012. Of them 70.43 per cent are natural and 29.57 per cent unnatural deaths in 2013.
As per Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) data, some 409,253 workers went to foreign countries with jobs in 2013 and 607,798 in 2012.
Mr Hossain said the migration cost will not be more than Tk 30,000 to Tk 40,000 each for Bangladeshis to go to any Middle Eastern country. But now they spend up to Tk 800,000 each, he added.
He requested the fortune seekers not to give extra money to the manpower recruitment agencies. And if any one charges additional fee, the job seekers can inform the ministry to take steps.
Responding to a query, the minister said Saudi Arabia did not close its market for Bangladeshis earlier. It limited the manpower recruitment from here.
Withdrawal of restriction on Iqama transfer (work permit and resident permit) has created a great opportunity for more jobs in Saudi Arabia.
Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) Director General Begum Shamsun Nahar, among others, were present at the press meet.
