20 return from Tanzanian jail

Ramjan, in tears, talks to his family over the telephone while his father tries to comfort him at Shahjalal International Airport yesterday on his return. Unscrupulous brokers promising a lucrative job in South Africa shipped Ramjan to Tanzania on tourist visa and took his passport. He had to remain in jail there for 11 months unable to contact his family at home.Photo: STAR

Twenty Bangladeshis who had languished in two Tanzanian prisons for the last 11 months finally returned home yesterday morning.
Brokers of unauthorised recruiting agencies lured them to Tanzania promising to get them lucrative jobs but abandoned them at the border of the East African country without travel documents.
The Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) brought back the Bangladeshis with the financial assistance of multinational company MGH Group.
“These Bangladeshis were taken to two jails in Tanzania by the immigration police when they tried to cross the border to enter South Africa,” said Mohsin Chowdhury, director (welfare) of the BMET.
The repatriated workers alleged that a strong broker network exists in Bangladesh and Tanzania to cheat overseas job aspirants.
“Masum, owner of World Travels took Tk 6 lakh from me on August 18 last year with a promise of a good job in South Africa,” Jamal Hassan, one of the victims, told The Daily Star.
“But I could not enter the country as he had snatched my passport. I had to stay in the jungle of the border areas where some other Bangladeshis had also taken refuge,” he added.
Later, as they tried to enter South Africa, police arrested them and sent them to Tanzanian prison as they could neither show any travel documents nor pay the penalty, he said.
While they were in prison, the Bangladeshis could not communicate with their families back home.
“However, some of us could speak to their family members when they were taken at a Tanzanian court five months ago,” said Jahinur Rahman, another victim.
The news of their loved ones came to light of the relatives when a Pakistani national, who had met a similar fate, sent a letter to Jahinur's family in Bangladesh after he was released in February this year, he said.
Jahinur's father then contacted the BMET which brought the matter to attention of the Bangladesh High Commission in Nairobi, Kenya.
On August 28 this year, the Bangladesh High Commission in Nairobi completed the process to repatriate them.
Md Baten, father of a repatriated worker Ramjan Miah, came from Narsingdi to receive his son at Shahjalal International Airport.
“When my son had told me that he could never come home, I nearly went mad. I tried to communicate with him at various places,” an emotional Baten told The Daily Star.
The victims include: Ramjan Miah, Abdul Malek, Billal Hossain, Kabil Miah and Masum Miah of Narsingdi, Ohid Hawlader of Munshiganj, Ali Noor and Enamul Haq, of Brahmanbaria, Biltu Miah, Jahinur Rahman and Kala Chan of Manikganj, Anis Khan of Comilla, Faruk Hawlader of Shariatpur, Russel Miah of Gazipur, Shahid Ahmed of Sylhet, Jamal Hassan of Barguna and Abu Naser Arzu and Md Alauddin of Noakhali.