The New Nation - Internet Edition

Syful Islam

Scores of foreign nationals are working in Bangladesh without having valid work permit, violating the visa rules of 2006, which created grave concern to the government.

To stop employing the foreign nationals who do not have valid work permit, the government recently sought cooperation from all concerned, sources said.

"Employing foreign nationals narrows the scope for Bangladeshi citizens to get jobs. It is also in violation of visa policy 2006,' said an official of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Sources said the government noticed that Bangladeshi missions abroad are less conscious about their responsibilities. Most of the missions abroad do not put the seal "employment in Bangladesh paid or unpaid prohibited" during granting visa.

According to the visa policy 2006, putting the seal of "employment in Bangladesh paid or unpaid prohibited" in the passports of foreign national is compulsory during granting the visa. But the missions abroad hardly carry it out.

A committee headed by executive chairman of the Board of Investment is there to monitor the employment of foreign nationals who do not have valid work permit. But the committee is very much inactive and meets very rarely.

Sources said a large number of foreign nationals are working in Bangladesh after coming here on a business or tourist visa. Most of them are working in the Export Processing Zones (EPZs), buying houses, garment factories, IT industries while some of them are working in the rest houses and residential hotels of the city's posh areas.

Police sources said some of the female immigrants who came here on tourist visa engaged themselves in sex trade and they are running a good number of guesthouses in the city's Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara and Dhanmondi area.

Law enforcing agencies do not arrest them rather help them to continue their business safely.

Sources said a large number of foreign workers come from across the border and mainly work in factories locating adjacent to the border.