The New Nation - Internet Edition

THOUSANDS of Bangladeshi workers are forced to work like slaves in different corners of Malaysia. But the officers of the Bangladeshi High Commission in Kuala Lumpur were too sleepy to know that the recruiting agencies neither engaged the workers in regular jobs nor let them come back home. The treatment they were subjected to has been termed as an outright violation of human rights. However, some of the victims had the chance to talk to Bangladeshi TV channels. But neither the Bangladeshi officials in Malaysia nor the authorities of that country came to their rescue. Finding no other way, about 150 workers went on hunger strike in the premises of the Bangladesh High Commission seeking help to take them back to their country.

It was supposed to be a task of the High Commission to look into the problems of the Bangladeshis, talk to the relevant authorities and the recruiting agents to ensure their employment But, instead, the officials allegedly forced them out of the HC premises adding to their sufferings. To look after the Bangladeshi workers is to serve the interests of Bangladesh because the expatriate workers in different countries are the second largest source of foreign exchange after the readymade garement sector. If the High Commission officials had been doing their duties, the problem could have been solved in time.

The government has sent an investigation team to Malaysia to probe the mater and submit a report The delegation was assigned the tasks of taking up the problem with the Malaysian government, ensuring compensation for the workers and making arrangements to bring the stranded ones back. The team has reportedly submited a preliminary report to the government and informed that eighty stranded workers would be given support to return home while the relevant recruiting agency would refund the total money they received from the workers.

The Bangladesh missions in different countries should be asked to regularly monitor and enquire about the well-being of the Bangladeshi workers living in respective countries and take necessary measures if anything goes wrong.

Recently at least 15,000 Bangladeshi workers reportedly lost their jobs abroad as their visas expired and they could not collect air tickets in time. The government may take an overall view of the problem and solve the same under broad policy guidelines instead of addressing it on a piecemeal basis.