BAIRA for blacklisting abusive KSA employers

Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) has advised the government for blacklisting employers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) for their abusive behaviour and attitude towards the Bangladeshi female workers. 

The association sources said, it is ready to provide details concerning the KSA employers, provided the government wants to take measures in this regard. 

“The troubles involving the Bangladeshi female migrants in KSA are impossible to resolve without imposing some sort of control over the employers,” BAIRA President Benjir Ahmed said on Tuesday at a meeting. The meeting was arranged at BAIRA office in the capital for exchanging views on the labour market in the KSA and Malaysia. 

“We have talked to the Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment minister regarding the matter. If he asks for our help, we will provide all the details of the employers in KSA, so that the abusive employers can be blacklisted,” he added.        

Dhaka and Riyadh signed an agreement in 2015, enabling Bangladesh to send its female domestic workers to Saudi Arabia. Since then, around two lakh female Bangladeshi workers migrated to the Islamic State.   

On returning home from Saudi Arabia (in some instances, after few months of stay), many of the female workers said that they were subjected to torture by their employers. In last week of August, Bangladesh Embassy in KSA send 64 Bangladeshi female workers, who had taken shelter at the embassy’s safe-home, back.  

BAIRA president further said, “We cannot monitor the situation from here. Saudi employers should be held accountable.”

Benjir Ahmed said, if the issue can be settled down, a large number of Bangladeshi workers will migrate to Saudi Arabia.

He said that Malaysian labour market will be open for the Bangladeshis soon, as he hoped that there will be no syndication coming in the way of exporting manpower to the country this time.

“We are optimistic about it. But there is no guarantee, as some recruiting agencies are trying to influence the process in the same way as they did over the previous years,” said Benjir, adding: “Previously, workers had to undergo medical check-ups in both the countries. But efforts are underway to complete their final medical check-ups in Bangladesh.”

Shafiqul Alam Sabuj, Senior Vice-President and Shamim Ahmed Chowdhury Noman, Secretary General, of BAIRA, among others, were also present at the programme.