Protests in Saudi Arabia wake up Dhaka officials

Protests by Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia are forcing Dhaka to deal with devious recruiters who trick people out of their money with promises of lucrative jobs abroad.

In late December, Bangladeshi workers marched through the streets of the Al-Sharfiyah district to protest employers who withheld salaries.

According to reports published in the Saudi Gazette, the labour office in Jeddah summoned the owner of a trading establishment who didn't pay 170 Bangladeshi workers for four months.

The Saudi daily also published photographs of Bangladeshis living in unhygienic conditions, and 20 workers sharing a small plate of dates - the only food they could afford.

The country's mission in Saudi Arabia has asked officials in Dhaka to investigate the practices of recruitment agencies to prevent more people from being duped.

Sources in the Ministry of Labour and Employment said they expect a full report on the incident from the country's mission in Saudi Arabia by January 13.

However, nobody from the ministry would discuss why the government didn't crack down on deceptive recruiting agencies before the protests.

"We haven't received a full report from our mission in Saudi Arabia," said M.A. Mannan, the labour and employment minister. "Once we get that report, actions will follow."

Sources said officials have failed for years to stop the dubious dealings of brokers, agents and labour contractors who paint 'rosy pictures' of life abroad but fail to live up to their promises.

The ministry planned to raise agency licensing fees from Tk 6 lakh to Tk 10 lakh, but backed down under pressure, said sources.

The minister and his officials also came under fire during a recent meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Labour and Employment for not taking the unscrupulous recruiting agencies to task.

The Welfare Association of Repatriated Bangladeshi Employees held an emergency meeting on January 7 to discuss the protests in Saudi Arabia. It challenged the consulate's "silence" on the issue.

Last year, Bangladeshis living abroad sent over Tk 7,000 crore back to their home in remittance. Saudi Arabia hosts about one-third of Bangladesh's two million foreign workers.