HC issues rule on govt

The High Court yesterday issued a rule on the government to show cause why the activities of the ministries concerned regarding safe manpower export will not be considered a failure and why directives would not be given to take measures to ensure safe manpower export.
A division bench of Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain and Justice Farid Ahmed issued the rule on the ministries of foreign affairs and expatriates' welfare, the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) and Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (Baira).
The rule came following a writ petition filed by Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), IMA Research Foundation and three victims who went to Malaysia, said a press release of ASK.
The writ petition said Mohammad Sirajul Islam, Abu Hanif Hawlader and Enamul Haque Talukder went to Malaysia through recruiting agencies Ardent International Ltd and Al Fateha Overseas in 2007, but the local agents in Malaysia took away passports of over 100 workers, including the three petitioners, and kept them confined to a room for five months.
Later, the local agents sold the workers to another company and embezzled their salaries.
The Bangladeshi workers then filed a case with a Malaysian court, but the court declared their work permits fake.
The workers then went to Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, but it did not cooperate them.
"The helpless workers were then forced to take shelter under an over bridge near the High Commission," the case statement said, adding that the Bangladeshi agents also extended no assistance to the workers.
At a point of time, the three petitioners and some others returned home with help of IMA Research Foundation.