93k migrants abroad have expired visas
The validity of visas of over 93,000 Bangladeshi migrant workers in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Egypt, South Korea and Iran has expired, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen informed parliament yesterday.
In reply to a query from ruling Awami League MP M Abdul Latif, the minister also said there are Bangladeshi workers in other countries whose visas have also expired.
“But the government couldn’t identify their proper number instantly,” Momen said in a written reply.
Of the 93,000 Bangladeshi workers with expired visas, 80,000 are staying in the UAE; 5,000 in Kuwait; 4,000 in Egypt; 2,500 in South Korea, and 1500 in Iran, the foreign minister said.
Momen said a total of six lakh Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia got the opportunity to apply for work permits between 2016 and 2018 following diplomatic efforts of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Bangladesh High Commission in Malaysia.
Of the six lakh in Malaysia, the minister said around four lakh had received work permits.
“At present, there is no ongoing process in Malaysia for undocumented migrant workers to get legal status,” the foreign minister added.
In the written reply, Momen said as many as 52,000 Bangladeshis had returned from Malaysia over the last five months following the Malaysian government’s declaration of general amnesty for illegal migrant workers.
About Saudi Arabia, the minister said the Saudi government in December 22 last year announced a “Special Exit Programme”, paving the way for illegal workers with expired visas to return to their respective countries.
The Bangladesh Consulate office in Jeddah has started providing services to eligible Bangladeshi migrants as per the Saudi government’s guidelines under the programme.
“The migrant workers who will return to their countries under the Special Exit Programme, will be able to go to Saudi Arabia after obtaining valid visas,” Momen said.
He also added that the number of migrant workers with expired visas will be known through the ongoing process.
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