Rabiul Islam
  Despite the fact that robust remittance inflows are contributing to a steady growth of the country’s economy, still a large number of migrant workers fall prey to exploitation at home and abroad.

Even, female migrant workers are not only cheated by a section of sneaky middlemen, but they are sexually abused abroad as well.

Some of the female drivers of economy at a press conference recently alleged that the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) failed to protect them from fraudulence by a recruiting agency.

Selina Begum, a victim, alleged that recruiting agency TM Overseas sent her to Abu Dhabi with BMET clearance in 2010.

“I had to face physical and mental torture in foreign land and then return home, incurring huge financial losses,” Selina told the press conference organised by Survivors’ Voice, a forum to work for cheated overseas jobseekers.

On her return at home, she submitted a written allegation to BMET in this regard in May 2011 to protect the cheated migrant workers and get compensation from fraudulent agencies or middlemen.

Selina alleged that BMET failed to realise due compensation for her from the recruiting agency concerned.

Even, a few female migrants stroke the same chord at a recent discussion styled ‘Prevention of fraudulence and harassment of female migrant domestic workers’ organised by WARBE Development Foundation.

The domestic workers expressed a number of bitter experiences of fraudulence at home and abroad.

The officials, who worked for Bangladesh embassies in Middle Eastern countries, said domestic workers have to work for long hours in high temperature.

A working day should not be more than four to six hours, they added.

Officials at the expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment ministry said the rights of migrant workers could not be ensured in the absence of agreements with different countries.

The ministry sources said the government has an agreement with Qatar. It has signed memorandums of understanding with eight countries.

The officials concerned said the MoUs are not legally binding to ensure the rights of migrant workers.

“We have ratified the UN Convention 1990 to ensure rights of the migrant workers and we are working to increase the facilities, including good accommodation for them,” said Zafar Ahmed Khan, expatriates’ welfare secretary, on Monday.

He told daily sun that the rights of migrant workers will be ensured through the regional consultative processes like Colombo Process and Abu Dhabi Dialogue.

Abu Dhabi Dialogue held in the Philippines had reached a consensus to oversee the migrant issues, including rights of the migrant workers, Zafar observed.

Prof Tasneem Siddique, chairperson of Refugee and Migratory Movement Research Unit (RMMRU), told daily sun that migrant workers are frequently being exploited far and wide.

She said the migration cost is very high thanks to visa trading for which prospective migrant workers have to spend a lot to go abroad for jobs.

The migrant workers have to take other recourses to recover their misspent money, Tasneem added.

She urged the government to take steps to ensure rights of migrant workers, giving more training to them.