200 workers complain of cheating

Over 200 Bangladeshi migrant workers, who have been repatriated by their employer from Iraq, yesterday brought allegations of cheating against their recruiting agency and demanded proper compensation from it.

They demanded that the government take stern action against the alleged agency Techno-Foki (Bangladesh) Ltd and arrest its owner and officials.

Protesting the agency's cheating, the victims gathered in front of the Jatiya Press Club and claimed that they had been sent to the war-torn country for construction jobs at Al Zubair Housing Compound Project in Basra province on two years' contract. But they were sacked from their jobs between six months and a year.

On average, the agency took Tk 4 lakh each from 350 workers, who are from different districts, and sent them to Iraq between October 2014 and April 2015,” said victim Masir Uddin, 27, of Sirajganj.

They were jobless there for about six months, he added.

The returnees also alleged that the agency offered them good working conditions and facilities.

During their stay in Iraq, they requested the agency officials to arrange new jobs for them, but they didn't get any response.

The victims also brought an allegation against the Bangladesh embassy officials in Iraq for not helping them.

“We contacted officials of the embassy and informed them about the matter, but no-one helped us,” alleged another returnee Shaharul Islam from Gaibandha.

Later, their Iraqi employer started sending them back home, he added.

The victims have reached home from January 11 in phases.

Of 350, around 50 migrants fled from the work place, while around 35 workers were still passing their days without any job in Iraq, Shaharul mentioned.

However, despite repeated attempts, this correspondent couldn't get the comments of the agency and the embassy officials.

This correspondent also tried to communicate with the officials of the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training, and the ministry of expatriates' welfare and overseas employment.

They did not respond till filing of this report around 10:30pm.