The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has expelled almost 16,000 Bangladeshi migrant workers this year while the number is 79,106 in the last five years, according to Brac Migration Programme.
Most of the workers had legal papers to stay back and work in Saudi Arabia but they were forced to leave the country on various allegations, reports UNB.
A total of 534 workers were deported from the country in the current month and some 176 workers were deported in September, said Shariful Hasan, head of the Brac Migration Programme.
Mr Hasan said workers were used to be sent back home in the past if they violated the recruitment rules but in recent times, workers were being forced to leave the country although they have legal papers.
He urged the ministries concerned and the Bangladesh Embassy in Saudi Arabia to look into the matter.
Hasan said recruiting agencies should ensure jobs for the workers when they reach Saudi Arabia on free visas and make sure that they do not face any problem there.
According to Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (Baira), the workers were being deported from Saudi Arabia for two specific reasons.
Workers with no legal papers are being forced to leave the country while some others were also being sent back as they sell vegetables or work as hawkers in addition to their scheduled work, said Secretary General of the Baira Shameem Ahmed Chowdhury Noman.
Shameem, however, admitted the deportation of many legal workers, saying the Bangladesh Embassy there should look into the matter.
Asked about the number of workers who returned from Saudi Arabia, DM Atiqur Rahman, director (Employment) of the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), said some workers are coming back home. “But I can’t tell you the exact number now.”
According to sources at BMET, around 257,317 workers went to Saudi Arab last year while 234,071 till August of the current year.
