1 Million Bangladeshi Will Return From Saudi

1 million Bangladeshi will return from Saudi.More than one crore Bangladeshi are working in different countries of the world, most of them are in the Middle East. But due to the economic downturn, various countries in the Middle East are threatening to send back Bangladeshis.

Of these, Saudi Arabia alone will repatriate more than one million Bangladeshis. In April, the Saudi authorities informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Bangladesh Embassy. This information has been known from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the concerned Bangladesh Mission.

Foreign Minister. AK Abdul Momen said, ‘The condition of the labor market in the Middle East is very deplorable. I can’t even imagine how many workers will return, especially from Saudi. The Saudi government is pushing for the return of Bangladeshis. But we told them, we can’t bring so many people together. We must bring our citizens. But I want to bring it step by step. ‘

He says the Saudi government has long had plans to bring 70 percent of its citizens to work. They are trying to take it forward by 5 percent every year. But the Saudi people don’t work, they can’t be found. Although some Saudis are currently joining the work. However, the Saudi economy is in a difficult position due to falling oil prices. As a result, the demand for our workers in these Middle Eastern countries will decrease in the future.

Dr. AK Abdul Momen said Middle Eastern countries have asked for registration of undocumented and illegal workers. If you register, you will not have to pay any fine. It will not cost anything to return to the country. The countries concerned will send them back. As a result, Bangladeshis are registering in groups. Leaving them in the camp after registration. From there they are forced to return to the country. Besides, it is pardoning the expatriates who are in jail for petty crimes and taking them straight from the jail. As a result, a large number of people are coming. ‘

However, the countries concerned have been asked to provide information before returning from prison. Whether they are citizens of Bangladesh or not will be accepted subject to verification and selection.

However, he said that Saudi Arabia is focusing on agriculture, adding that the Saudi government will take significant initiatives in the field of agriculture and livestock in the coming days. With these, if initiatives are taken in the fisheries sector, then Bangladeshi workers can be employed in these sectors.

According to sources, due to the change in the socio-economic context since 2015, the Saudi government has decided to send back the citizens of other countries, both legal and illegal, who are in the country. As such, at the end of 2019, the Bangladesh Embassy in Saudi Arabia started compiling a list of expired, outdated, illegal, unregistered Bangladeshis.

Embassy officials were divided into different parts of the country calling for the registration of Bangladeshis. Since then, the Bangladesh Embassy and Consulate in Saudi Arabia have been working on a list of these Bangladeshis. Now the Saudi government is going to give the general amnesty a chance to be legal again. In this context, the Bangladesh embassy in Saudi Arabia fears that 5-10 lakh Bangladeshis will be sent back this time. Such information has also been reported to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from the Bangladesh Embassy in Saudi Arabia.

However, sources said that Saudi Arabia will not send back 5-10 lakh Bangladeshis at once. They will be sent back gradually in the next 3-5 years. One of the reasons for this is that according to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, there are plans to bring 70 percent of Saudi citizens to work in the entire Saudi labor market. To implement this, migrant workers from all countries will have to return to their home countries.

The Saudi government has already started taking various preventive measures in this regard. Monthly charges have been imposed on the families of foreign workers. Iqama fee has been increased. In the case of international students, tuition fees as well as taxes have been increased. As a result, 1.1 million citizens of Egypt and other countries have already left Saudi Arabia. Citizens of other countries are also preparing to leave Saudi Arabia. Most of whom are professionals.

It is to be noted that various countries in the Middle East including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, Bahrain are pressuring to take back Bangladeshi illegal workers. Some Bangladeshis have already been repatriated from several countries.

News Room, May 03,2020