ZCZC
BSS-24
MOMEN-UNDOCUMENTED-WORKERS
Some countries want to deport undocumented Bangladeshi workers: Momen
DHAKA, April 5, 2020 (BSS) – Foreign minister Dr A K Abdul Momen today said
Bangladesh is keep contact with the countries which want to send back
undocumented Bangladeshi workers due to job cut amid deadly COVID-19
pandemic.
“We are maintaining communications with those countries and urged them to
extend their support to our expatriate nationals in the prevailing
situation,” Momen told newsmen after holding an inter-ministerial meeting at
the Expatriate Welfare Ministry in the capital today.
Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmad was also
present at the meeting.
Without disclosing names of the countries, the foreign minister said some
four to five Middle Eastern countries along with Maldives have informed the
Bangladesh government that many Bangladeshi workers have been jobless due to
Covid-19 pandemic.
The minister said those countries expressed their concern over the fate of
mainly the undocumented Bangladeshi workers there and urged Bangladesh to
take back its nations.
“It’s true we are under pressure to some extent. All the countries are
under pressure (now),” he said.
Momen hoped that Bangladesh will not be in a big trouble considering the
relations that Dhaka maintains with those countries and t steps are being
taken to further strengthen the relations with them.
The minister said they are now trying to tackle the situation country by
country as “we are working case by case”.
“We have already sent letters to all those countries explaining
Bangladesh’s economic situation due to the coronavirus outbreak as well as
thanking them to take care of our nationals there,” he said.
Noting that each of those countries is sympathetic to Bangladesh, the
foreign minister said, “We will face the challenges together.”
Referring to his telephone conversation with the Maldives foreign minister,
Momen said some Bangladeshis, mainly undocumented workers, have become
jobless there due to closure of tourism business and restaurants.
BSS/ASG/TA/GA/1643 hrs