Refund deposit with interest to workers not going to Libya

The Supreme Court yesterday directed the recruitment agencies concerned to refund the money with 10 percent interest deposited by 74 Bangladeshi workers for going to war-torn country Libya in the next three months.

The Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment will take steps for recovering the money from the agencies if they do not do so within the stipulated time, said the apex court.

The four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha also stayed a High Court order that asked the foreign ministry to issue no-objection certificates to the 74 workers for going to Libya.

The bench passed the order after disposing of a petition filed by the government seeking a stay on the HC order.

The HC came up with the order on April 3 this year following a petition collectively filed by the persons, who got work permits and visas for going to Libya, challenging the legality of a foreign ministry order that on November 19 last year imposed restriction on Bangladeshi people to travel and go to the war-affected country.