Migrants likely to face flight crisis due to hajj rush
A huge number of undocumented Bangladeshi migrant workers are likely to be trapped in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), as an amnesty offer for illegal workers will expire on November 3 with all outgoing flights from there being booked for hajj.
The migrant workers have taken out-passes from the Bangladesh embassy in KSA to return home, availing the Saudi government’s amnesty for illegal foreign workers.
At least 70,000 workers have taken out-passes from the Bangladesh embassy to return home of whom about 25,000 to 30,000 have already returned, official sources said.
” The government is concerned that the remaining migrant workers would be in trouble if they fail to return home or get documented within the deadline,” the sources added.
When contacted Minister for Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Engineer Khondker Mosharraf Hossain told The New Nation on Thursday, ” We have worked hard seeking amnesty extension for the undocumented workers. Our workers should behave responsibly and they should either return within the deadline or try to get themselves documented”.
The migrant workers will face no problem if they return before November 3, the source said, adding that the workers would face imprisonment and fines if they fail to return within the deadline.Asked why migrant workers are not returning home now, he said the workers probably want to earn some extra money during the hajj season.
A total of 87,689 pilgrims from Bangladesh are scheduled to perform hajj this year. The return flights for them will start on October 19.
Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Secretary Dr. Zafar Ahmed Khan said that the government was fully aware of the problem of the large number of Bangladeshi undocumented workers and was working accordingly.
Dr. Zafar Ahmed Khan told The New Nation on Thursday evening that Bangladesh embassy in KSA has been asked to write to the Ministry of Civil Aviation with copy to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment narrating the situation of the migrant workers. If required the Ministry of Civil Aviation, he said, would make arrangement for additional flights to bring back the migrant workers. He said if required his Ministry would pursue the matter with relevant Ministries in the country.
“I have verbally requested our ambassador to write to the civil aviation as it is a problem at that end,” he said.
-With The New Nation input
