Coronavirus starts impacting jobs overseas for Bangladeshis

Govt decides to bring back Bangladeshis pursuing pressure from some countries

The outbreak of deadly coronavirus appears to have started impacting Bangladesh’s workforce abroad, as some countries are putting strain on the government to recreate Bangladeshis from those countries.

Succumbing to the pressure, the federal government has already made a decision to repatriate 316 Bangladeshis via Kuwait and 176 right from South Korea by chartered flights.

Apart from South Korea, the countries are actually asking the federal government to bring back mainly undocumented Bangladeshis. Some 150 employed and 26 learning in South Korea will come to be repatriated.

Your choice was taken on Sunday within an inter-ministerial meeting at the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Career. Presided over by Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Career Minister Imran Ahmad, the getting together with was attended, amongst others, by Residence Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen.

Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Job Minister Imran Ahmad said that the federal government made a decision to bring Bangladeshis from some countries on ‘humanitarian surface’ after scrutiny.

Foreign Minister Dr Momen, however, said that the decision was taken following pressures of plenty of unnamed countries.

When asked simply by reporters after the getting together with if Bangladesh is under great pressure from those countries, he said, “We are under great pressure to some extent. But, all of the countries are under pressure.”   

The foreign minister said, “We sat today (Sunday) to choose just how many Bangladeshis we provides back. We will need decisions based on certainty. And, we aren't taking blanket decisions.”

As asked just how many countries have asked to take back Bangladeshis, he said, “Not so various countries….Few countries… 4-5 countries. But you know the amount of our persons is big. Even if it is one country, there are many persons. I cannot specify a range now. For the moment it really is Kuwait. About other countries, we will examine.”

About Bangladeshis in the Maldives, Dr Momen said, “The foreign minister of the Maldives phoned me and said there are a sizable number of undocumented Bangladeshis in his country. He referred to as after the undocumented Bangladeshis to register their titles and our huge commissioner in that country can be encouraging for registration.”

Since tourism sector, which the Maldives relies, has been affected a number of the undocumented Bangladeshis might be sent back, he said, expressing hope that Bangladeshis will never be sent back.

The government of the Maldives is helping the Bangladeshis, who are there legally, said the minister.

To a question, Dr Momen stated, “Few countries possess contacted us. At this moment, we don’t prefer to name the names.”

Every country will come to be handled case by case and the federal government is considering those countries first where Bangladeshis may well suffer due to inaction, he said.

To another questioner, the minister said that the persons who are discussed nowadays are ‘basically undocumented’ (Bangladeshis).

“It’s not really that big a difficulty. But, it is difficult difficulty as we are moving through a undesirable time now,” he added.

Striking an email of optimism, Dr Momen stated, “I believe given the relations with these countries we will not have to handle any difficult trouble. We want to enhance the relations. We happen to be optimistic.”

In answer a question, he reported that the countries concerned have already been requested to greatly help the Bangladeshis in humanitarian ground.

About the response, he said, “I have to declare every country is quite sympathetic to us. They are also in trouble.”

Minister Imran said that diplomatic efforts are to extend the visas and job permits of the expatriate Bangladeshis.

Efforts are actually also taken to ensure that terminated workers are positioned in other places rather than sending them back again to Bangladesh, he said.

It has additionally been decided in the meeting that letters jointly signed by him and the foreign minister will be delivered to the relevant ministries of those countries, Imran said.

He also said that diplomatic missions have already been instructed to supply necessary assistance if the expatriates encounter housing problem.

A good decision has been taken to provide financial assistance for the rehabilitation of those who will go back to the united states, he added.