Manpower frauds won’t be spared
Expatriates Welfare Minister Imran Ahmad has warned manpower frauds of tough action, while calling for a transparency and accountability in the overseas employment sector.
“Anyone found involved in harassing, cheating and corruption in the overseas employment sector will not be spared,” he said at a meeting with leaders of Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (Baira), organised by the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment in its conference hall yesterday.
Imran said excessive migration cost was the major factor contributing to the exploitation of migrant workers. In many instances, the workers don’t get the jobs they were promised.
He asked the recruiting agencies to open their branch offices in the districts. Presently, the recruiting agencies have their offices mostly in Dhaka and therefore they depend on unauthorised brokers to collect overseas jobseekers from rural areas.
They are often accused of providing false promises and charging additional money from the jobseekers.
The minister has sought cooperation from the recruiting agencies in cutting migration costs, saying that the role of the agencies was very crucial in disciplining the sector.
Baira President MP Benjir Ahmed urged the government to be careful so that the recruiting agents cannot create any syndicate to monopolise the labour market.
Earlier in 2016, a syndicate of ten recruiting agents of Bangladesh and the then powerful political leaders of Malaysia had created a cartel to control labour recruitment from Bangladesh.
There were allegations that some powerful syndicates are trying to create another one to send workers to the United Arab Emirates, another labour market for Bangladeshis.
Imran said the government would not allow any syndicate in the international recruitment sector.
Officials from the expatriates’ welfare ministry and other Baira leaders were also present at the meeting.
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