Ill-fated 106 more Bangladeshis return from KSA

Some 106 more Bangladeshi workers, who went to Saudi Arabia for getting rid of poverty and ensuring betterment of their nears and dears, have endured torture by the employers and faced police round-up there, and lastly returned home empty handed.

Two flights of Saudi Airlines carrying them, including 15 female labourers, reached Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka around 11:20pm on Saturday and 1:30am on Sunday.

With this, as many as 247 Bangladeshi workers came back home from the Middle East country last four days.

Selina Akter and Shamima Begum from Brahmanbaria went to Saudi Arabia as domestic help. Their employers tortured them that led them to flee to Safe Home at Bangladesh Embassy in the country. 

With the duo, a total of 15 female workers, including Narayanganj's Sonia and Khadiza, as well as Sirajganj's Rasheda, took shelter in the safe home being failed to bear the repression and finally returned home.

Unlucky Shahid Mia, 40, went to the KSA two-and-half-year ago spending Tk 4.50 lakh but he was deported from the country, pushing him towards an uncertain future.

Luck also did not favour Hanif from Cumilla's Chandina who went to Saudi Arabia just four months ago. Employer did not give him Akama (permit) despite his three-month entry Visa expired. As a result, he was held by the police and sent back home.

Tangail's Hamidullah, Cumilla's Tofazzal and Sylhet's Shuva Debnath also experienced deportation.

Those returned home alleged that Kafil (employers) do not make Akama despite they pay money for this. The employers also do not take responsibility when workers communicate with them after being detained by the law enforcers.

Brac Migration Programme, as always, provided the deported workers food-water, and urgent assistance to go to their respective homes.

The programme chief Shariful Hasan said Saudia Arabia sent back around 24,281 Bangladeshi workers to home in 2019. Last four days of the New Year the number stood at 247.

Experience of the deportees are same and about they all returned home with nothing, Shariful added.