Government's role in manpower export

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THE deportation of Bangladeshi workers by the Kuwaiti governemnt has drawn the attention of all from the points of sympathy and criticism. It has created sensation in other countries as well and left an impact in the country's labour market.

The deportation of these workers has been done in an inhuman manner forcing the workers to leave Kuwait bare-footed. The low pay they used to get was totally inadequate to meet the minimum living cost in that oil-rich country. They could not save anything to repay their loans or send home some money. But their way of protest, by organsing strikes and violence on the streets, gave rise to many questions and debate in the countries employing expatriate worker.

Bangladesh's more than 200,000 workers in the Gulf countries work mostly as cleaners, security guards, construction workers etc. They usually go to these countries through recruiting agents and are very often cheated by the agencies. Many workers get much less pay than promised. At times they get less than other workers doing the same job. So it was natural for discontentment to grow among these badly exploited workers. But should it be the way of lodging protest? Of course, not.

But one thing is clear, the governemnt of Bangladesh cannot ignore its responsibility. This situation could take place due to government's inaction and its failure to monitor how the recruitment agencies ran the system in both Bangladesh and the employers' countries. The spate of recent deportation of workers underlines the fact that the government should attach the highest priority to the sector's proper development. In every stage of the manpower export, it has to play a fair and active role.

Shakil Ahmed

Dhanmondi

Dhaka