183 Bangladeshi workers sent back from Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has sent back 183 more Bangladeshi migrant workers, including 20 women, according to Brac Migration Programme.

Two Saudi Arabian Airlines flights -- carrying 89 and 94 workers -- landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka around 11:20pm on Wednesday and 1:10am today, Brac said.

Brac Migration Programme with help of Prabashi Kalyan Desk set up by the Expatriates' Welfare Ministry at the airport provided the returnees with immediate support including food and drinking water.

Also last night, bodies of eight Bangladeshi migrant workers reached Dhaka. Of them, five were sent by Saudi Arabia while three sent by Malaysia, Brac also said.

Shariful Hasan, head of Brac Migration Programme, said some 3,635 migrant workers were sent back by Saudi Arabia in January alone.

"Many of them returned empty-handed," he said.

He urged the recruiting agencies to be responsible so that migrant workers do not have to return home in this manner.

Shariful also called upon the Bangladesh government and Bangladesh mission authorities in the KSA to find out reasons behind the deportation.