Coronavirus-hit countries: Expats lose jobs, face bleak future

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Bangladeshi expatriates in some European counties, especially in Italy, find themselves in a precarious situation amid the novel coronavirus outbreak, with most of them left without jobs and stuck in the home without adequate way to obtain daily essentials.

Gripped by the fear to be infected, they are seriously worried about their livelihood as their own families back home in Bangladesh heavily depend on their income. They fear bleak days ahead if the problem does not improve.

Following the outbreak, many Europe took some unprecedented measures to contain the spread of the virus. Those measures include enforcing lockdown, banning travel, shutting down shops, restaurants, bars, smaller businesses, and non-essential company departments. Tourism in those countries has also been hit hard.

Among those countries, the worst damaged is Italy, home to nearly two lakh Bangladeshi expatriates, including some 50,000 undocumented workers.

The country up to now has some 15,116 confirmed coronavirus cases. Among the infected, 1,016 have died.

Although the amount of Bangladeshis found infected with the virus is still low, many of them have become jobless following the authorities turn off different business.

Most the undocumented employees are street hawkers, who have been hit the hardest, The Daily Star learnt talking to nearly twelve Bangladeshi expatriates in the European country.

"We have no idea how long this example will continue. And if it prolongs, it will put us in grave trouble," said Afzal Hosen Roman, who has been moving into Italy going back nine years. Currently, he works at a restaurant in Rome.

He said Bangladeshis with valid job contracts might get some compensations, but the others would be in a "bigger trouble".

"Many families depend on the money these persons send home. If they can't earn hardly any money, how will they have the ability to pay their house rent in Italy and pay for the educational expenses of their children and take care of their old parents in Bangladesh?" he asked.

Another Bangladeshi expatriate named Palash Rahman, who lives in Venice, said all of the hotels cancelled their reservations soon after the coronavirus situation worsened.

The town, which attracts thousands of tourists every day, has turned almost empty, he said.

He also said there have been some 12,000 Bangladeshis in the city in northeastern Italy. "They i did so decent jobs or business, but almost of these are actually unemployed," he said, adding, "Many of them have already gone back again to Bangladesh after it became impossible for them to maintain their costs."

Speaking with these correspondents, another Bangladeshi, an undocumented worker living in Venice for almost six years, said people there were facing an emergency of food and toiletries.

"People within their numbers are thronging the food stores and competing with the other person to take what they want," he said, wishing not to be named.

Bangladeshis living in Germany, especially in the state of North-Rheine Westphalia where coronavirus cases are high, are also panicked, said Zobaer Ahmed, a Bangladeshi journalist working at Deutsche Welle.

He said sanitisers and storable food items were sold within hours at many supershops. "Bangladeshis living listed below are also storing food, including rice, lentil and canned food."

Another Bangladeshi expatriate living in Berlin said they too were facing a shortage of food and commodities like toilet tissue and napkins.

"Many Bangladeshis especially students left because of their country since the situation began to turn bad," he said.

A few days ago, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that up to 70 percent of the country's population -- some 58 million persons -- could contract coronavirus.

Talking about the problem, Prof CR Abrar, executive director of Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit, said no-one was prepared for this unforeseen development. "It could have a devastating effect on our remittance if the problem prolongs."

Although it isn't an easy task, the Bangladesh government should extend its support to the expatriates and get engaged with the authorities of the coronavirus-hit countries.

According to Bangladesh's Wage Earners' Welfare Board, there are a few 1.20 crore Bangladeshis working across the globe. They send home around $15 billion in hard-earned money, a lifeline of Bangladesh's economy.

Experts fear the remittance flow will be hit hard if the problem didn't change soon.

In another development, the Bangladesh mission in Italy suspended its consular services until further notice on Tuesday.

The prior day, the mission asked Bangladeshis to talk to it via phone in case of any emergency.

Contacted, Labour Welfare Counsellor Arfanul Hoque of the mission's Rome office said they urged the Bangladeshi expatriates to create phone calls for any services.

If the mission feels any expatriate has any emergency, the person will be asked to visit in person, he said.

On the average, some 250 to 300 Bangladeshis seek consular services from the Rome office each day and another 100 to 150 from the consulate general office in Milan, Arfanul said.

Beneath the consular services, the mission provides services, including issuance and renewal of passports, visas and different certificates, he said.

"These services have been suspended for the present time," he said.

Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmed told The Daily Star that the problem was difficult for everybody.

"You will find a limitation that people cannot go there and they also cannot come here. Even after that, we've alerted the neighborhood embassies to do something," he said.

Replying to a question, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said, "Of course you will see an economic impact. However the simple truth is that we don't know how long the challenge will persist."

"It is a very difficult time. So it is tough to state anything at this time. But we hope the problem will improve soon," he said.

At least four Bangladesh mission offices abroad suspended their different services, which limited expatriates' access to various needs and opportunities for the time being.
Source: https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd

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