Saudi Arabia deported more than 2500 Bangladeshi workers from the country last three weeks, pushing them towards an uncertain future.
On Wednesday night and early hours of Thursday, among them, 217 Bangladeshi labourers reached Dhaka Airport with about empty handed through two plights of Saudi Airlines.
Brac Migration Programme, as always, provided the deportees emergency assistance.
Sujon Biswas, hails from south-western district Narail, went to the Middle East country spending Tk 4.50 lakh three months ago but had to come back home empty handed.
He alleged that recruiting agency and broker deceived him that caused his unemployment there and detention by police, and lastly deportation.
At the airport, Sujon in sad voice repeatedly wanted to know how he can take any action against recruiting agency and broker.
Siblings Sujon Mia and Mintu Mia from Delduar upazila of Tangail were held by police when they were returning from workplace.
They went to the country respectively four months, and 23 months ago with dream of a better life but faced deportation with huge frustration.
Like them, Montu Mia of Narsingdi, Liton and Kader Mia of Tangail, Zahidul of Sirajganj, Nazmul of Sylhet, and many others went to Saudi Arabia a year ago but compelled to return home.
Allegations of most of them are about same. They said that their Kafil (employers) did not provide them Akama (permit) that left them undocumented.
Quoting the deportees, Brac Migration Programme chief Shariful Hasan told Jago News that brokers and recruiting agencies showed them each various dreams but they faced different problems going to Saudia. Many did not get salary rather came back home within a few months.
He said recruiting agencies must take responsibility so that no worker has to return penniless, adding that Embassy and government will have to look into the matter, specially cheating in the name of ‘free visa’.
Citing expatriates' welfare desk, Shariful disclosed that more than 2500 Bangladeshi workers returned home from Saudi Arabia and the number was 25,789 last year. A total of 64,638 workers were deported from different countries, including Saudi, in 2019.