Govt Under Pressure to Bring Back Expatriate Workers: PM

Mentioning that there is diplomatic pressure on Bangladesh to bring back Bangladeshi expatriate workers from the Middle East, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Wednesday that her government has taken multifaceted diplomatic steps to cope with the crisis.

"As a result of the coronavirus outbreak, diplomatic pressure from the Middle Eastern countries has been exerted to bring back expatriate workers. Yet our government has taken many-sided diplomatic steps to alleviate this burden, "she said.

The Prime Minister was replying to a question from Awami League MP Benjir Ahmed (Dhaka-20) in Parliament.

As part of the diplomatic steps, the Prime Minister said she sent letters to some heads of state or government.

The Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment have taken the requisite steps to establish communication with the various Middle Eastern countries, said Sheikh Hasina.

He said the government sent medical devices and pharmaceuticals to various countries as part of the government's food and medical diplomacy.

“Only 22,000 expatriate workers returned home so far. The number of the returnees is still low due to timely diplomatic initiatives taken by the present Awami League government,” the PM said.

It urged the recruitment agencies to send workers abroad after the proper authentication of jobs and employers.

Referring to the recent killing of Bangladeshis in Libya, Hasina said that the government is taking effective action against the recruitment agencies that sent them there.

If the recruiting agencies export manpower following proper rules, Bangladeshi workers will not fall in troubles in foreign lands, said the Prime Minister.

She also said the people of the country should be aware of illegal migration.  “Despite so many facilities, including collateral loans, provided by the government, the jobseekers lose their lives going abroad through illegal channels to catch ‘golden deer’ there.”

Sheikh Hasina said the government is taking proper measures against the recruiting agencies responsible for illegal migrations.

He reiterated that the government is pursuing diplomatic efforts so that expatriate Bangladeshis will stay working in their home countries.

Mentioning the different measures taken for expatriates, she said at the OIC Forum Bangladesh proposed the creation of a fund for expatriates.

Different countries are sending back illegal immigrants and those who are engaged in different crimes said the Prime Minister.

Besides, she said, the government has taken measures for providing incentive and loan for the expatriates who have already returned home.

Hasina said the government has kept a separate Tk 2000-crore stimulus package to provide Tk 500 crore with each to Probsahi Kalyan Bank, Palli Sanchay Bank, Karmasangsthan Bank, and Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation, and the expatriate returnees can take a loan from the organizations at 4 percent interest.

She said overseas job seekers can also avail of collateral-free loans from the Probsahi Kalyan Bank.

In reply to another question from ruling MP AKM Rahmatullah (Dhaka-11), the Prime Minister said the role of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the Language Movement had been erased from history.

Many people, even intellectuals, in their writings used to forget to mention the role of the Father of the Nation in the Language Movement, she said adding that it was an attempt to erase the name of the Father of the Nation completely from history as propaganda was carried out against him after 1975.

Sheikh Hasina, also the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu, said that she started publishing a book about the classified files of the Pakistani Intelligence Branch against the Father of the Government so that the people of the country can know the true facts.

Responding to a question from opposition Jatiya Party MP Mujibul Haque (Kishoreganj-3), the PM said Bangabandhu had not shared, even with family members, the sufferings he endured in jail.

“The name (of Bangabandhu), which was completely removed after 1975, has returned today. Actually, no one can erase history,” Hasina added.

Source: UNB