Bangladeshis among dozens arrested

Immigration police in the Maldives have arrested 20 Bangladeshi migrants in the capital Male, reports Channel i, quoting Bangladesh's high commissioner in Male.

An immigration official told Maldivian Haveeru online that the arrest of the Bangladeshis was a part of an ongoing crackdown on undocumented migrant workers. The department, however, did not give the exact number of arrestees.

An eyewitness said at least 20 expatriates were taken into custody from a market area in Male on Thursday morning.

Undocumented migrant workers were kept at a special centre in the capital city's satellite suburb of Hulhumale before they are deported.

Early this month, the Maldives government began fining businesses that employed expatriates as cashiers. Although fines ranging from MVR10,000 to MVR50,000 can be levied, the government imposed an initial fine of MVR10,000.

In last April, economic ministry declared that any expatriate to work as a cashier in shops, cafés and restaurants without documents would be deported. Immigration department had also stopped approving quotas for expatriates brought to the Maldives for the purpose.

Only Maldivians are allowed to work at the local market where products manufactured in the islands are sold. However, most of the stalls are occupied by expatriate workers.

Kazi Sarwar Hossain, Bangladesh's high commissioner to the Maldives, yesterday told the Channel i over the telephone that there are rules in the Maldives that the citizens of only that country will get appointed to the posts of cashier and accountant in business organisations.

If foreigners work in those posts, the Maldives government takes legal action against them as per the rule, he said, adding that the detained Bangladeshis were working as cashier and accountant at a market.

The envoy also said legal assistance was being given to the detainees.

Steps had also been taken so that the Bangladeshis, who will lose their jobs for the Maldives government's decision, could get new jobs, he added.

Some 50,000 to 60,000 Bangladeshis are believed to work in the Maldives.