Migrants in KSA: 32 women urge PM to rescue them

A group of 32 female migrant workers in Saudi Arabia, who fled their employers following torture, yesterday begged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to rescue them. 

In a video message, members of the group alleged that they received no help from the Bangladesh authorities in Saudi Arabia or anyone else. 

“Some of us have little children at home. Some lost their parents and children while staying here. We are suffering a lot. We beg you [Sheikh Hasina], please save our lives,” one of the victims said in the message. 

Jannatul Ferdous, an inhabitant of a deportation camp, told The Daily Star that all of them fled their employers following different forms of abuses -- physical, sexual and overwork -- and reached out to the Saudi police. Later, they were sent to a deportation camp in Riyadh. 

“All the women staying at the camp have injury marks on their bodies,” she added.

The migrants have been staying at the camp between one and nine months, Ferdous told The Daily Star last night. 

She also said, “An officer [of Saudi Arabia] told us that Saudi authorities cannot buy tickets for us. He [the official] said our embassy has to buy us tickets. I called our embassy, but they [Bangladesh embassy officials] said they cannot buy us tickets    either. 

“The officials also told me that they cannot even take us to a safe home as we were already at the deportation camp.”

She also sought help from this correspondent and said, “If you cannot help us, give us poison so that we can die here.” 

The Daily Star could not reach Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh after repeated attempts over phone. 

Shariful Hasan, head of Brac Migration Programme, said the authorities should immediately take action to rescue the women and repatriate them. 

He also mentioned that Sumi, a migrant worker in the Gulf country, recently returned home after pleading for life on social media.

Another migrant Hosna Akter, who was also rescued after uploading of a video clip on social media, was on her way home last night. 

“The migrant workers are now finding ways to communicate and help themselves,” he said. 

Hasan also said that migrant workers in Saudi Arabia were not even allowed to use mobile phones in most cases. 

“Our government should negotiate with Saudi authorities for allowing the female migrants to use mobile phones,” he added.