Rabiul Islam
  The Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) is taking a lot of beating in disbursing arrears among Libya-returnees as the Chinese company did not send individual assessment of 172 migrant workers.

China State Construction Engineering Company sent a total of Tk35.3 million to BMET to distribute among 545 migrant workers who left Libya leaving behind their salaries during the Arab Spring uprisings last year.

The company, however, did not send individual assessment of 172 Libya-returnees creating trouble for BMET, the state-owned organisation dealing with migrant workers.

“I have e-mailed three times for individual assessment of the migrant workers but I have not received any response from the company so far,” BMET Director Mizanur Rahman said at his office Tuesday.

The director said arrears vary from one returnee to another; someone will get one-month arrears while another three months’.

He said many Libya returnees are calling him over phone and enquiring about their hard-earned money.

“How will I distribute the money?” Mizan posed a question.

BMET is supposed to distribute a total of Tk18.6 million among 373 Libya returnees from May 20 to 29.

Sources at BMET said the officials have already contacted the recipients.

Till Tuesday cheques have been distributed among 140 people.

Officials concerned said a few documents were verified to choose the right person to be handed over the cheque.

A recipient has to show the photocopy of his passport, two copies of passport-sized photo, money receipt given by International Organisation for Migration, identity card provided by the Chinese company and citizen’s certificate of Union Parishad Chairman.

In the middle of last year when South African country Libya was facing mass upsurge around 36,000 Bangladeshis were forced to leave Libya leaving behind their belongings and salaries to different companies.