Submit report on sexual abuse of migrant workers: HC
The High Court yesterday ordered the government and authorities concerned to submit a detailed report in one month about the number of Bangladeshi workers, including females, who were sexually abused so far in foreign countries including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The report will also need to mention the number of such Bangladeshi workers who returned home voluntarily with the assistance of the government.
Moreover, the total number of Bangladeshis sent abroad as workers has to be included in the report.
The HC asked the following respondents to the submit the report: secretaries to the ministries of expatriates' welfare and overseas employment and foreign affairs; director general of Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET); chairman of Wage Earners' Welfare Board (WEWB); and president and secretary of Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (Baira).
Also, in a rule, the HC asked the respondents to explain in two weeks why their failure and inaction to ensure due safety, emigration, repatriation, rehabilitation, compensation and integration of the female workers who are victims of harassment, physical and mental torture and sexual abuse in Saudi Arabia and other countries should not be declared illegal.
In the rule, the court also asked the respondents to show causes as to why appropriate legal action should not be taken against the recruiting agencies and the people who were responsible to send the Bangladeshi workers abroad without following due process of law.
Secretaries to the ministries of expatriates' welfare and overseas employment, foreign, home, law, labour and employment, social welfare, women and children affairs; director general of BMET; chairman of WEWB; and president and secretary of Baira were made respondents to the rule.
The HC bench of Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and Justice Farid Ahmed delivered the order and the rule following a writ petition filed by Barrister Md Mahfuzur Rahman Milon, executive director of Justice Watch Foundation, seeking necessary order on the issue.
In the petition he said the respondents have failed to take appropriate measures to ensure proper protection and safety to the country's female workers from harassment, physical and mental torture and sexual abuse after the workers went to Saudi Arabia and other countries.
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