The New Nation - Internet Edition

A VERNACULAR daily reported on Thursday that two separate four-member teams shall go to Malaysia and Dubai early next month to investigate into the affairs of the manpower recruiting agents as to how they deceive the overseas employment seeking workers of Bangladesh. The task is enormously important and the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment should have taken the move much earlier. Because by now many innocent poor people of the country have been thrown to pauperity and some even have lost their parental homes by the deception of some unconscientious manpower recruiting agents.

The task teams have a three faceted terms of reference which include : discussion with Bangladesh missions in the respective countries, discussion with a 15-member group who have been deceived by manpower recruiting agents and finally, inquire into the matters of the Bangladesh expatriates living in Malaysia and Dubai who procure work permits for the recruiting agents. The terms of reference of the task teams appears to be elaborate and pragmatic and hopefully the teams shall be able to detect the real picture of deception the workers often have to face.

Remittance of the Bangladeshi workers employed abroad constitutes the second highest amount of foreign exchange the country earns. Hence, the matter of employment of our workers abroad is of high importance. Any hindrance towards the employment of our workers abroad needs to be taken in all earnestness.

A section of the manpower recruiting agents have long been engaged in deceptive practices. When particular instances of their deception and irregularities will be identified stern measures need to be taken against those who would be found guilty. Our missions abroad are alleged to have been indifferent towards the welfare of our workers. Foreign employment should be a concern of the entire government.