Writ seeks compensation for families of 714 deceased female migrants

A writ petition has been filed with the High Court seeking directives to provide adequate compensation to the family members of the 714 deceased female migrant workers who died in different countries.

Anjuman Ara Lima, a Supreme Court lawyer, filed the writ petition today after taking approval from the HC bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Ahmed Sohel.

The writ also sought investigation into the deaths of the female workers and wanted security and safety of the female workers.

A report on the title of '714 women workers return dead' published in a daily newspaper was attached to the writ petition.

Twelve people including the secretaries to the expatriate welfare and overseas employment ministry, foreign ministry, law ministry, information and broadcasting ministry, director general and director of Bureau of Manpower, Employment, and Training (BMET) were made respondents to the petition.

The petition also sought to stop torture of female workers working abroad, to ensure their security and safety at work, and safe returns to their homeland.

It also sought directives from the authorities concerned to ensure accountability of the employers.

According to the report of the Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry, the bodies of 404 female workers landed in Bangladesh from 2020 to 2022. Of them, 227 died normally.

As per the report of Brac, a private development organisation, said 714 women workers returned dead from 2016 to 2022. Of them, 262 died of natural causes.