Employment in Middle East
IN an otherwise gloomy scenario in the international labour market following the global economic downturn we can see a silver lining in the clouds as some countries in the Middle East hold out promise of lifting lid on employment and of reform in labour laws that would improve the working and living environment of our workers in these countries.
We are heartened by the news that the Malaysian government would soon start recruiting the 55,000 Bangladeshi workers it sent back and is also likely lift ban on employment of foreign workers.
Also recently, the Government of Bahrain has decided to do away with the sponsorship system for foreign labuorers that had so long been used as an instrument of exploitation. An oppressive situation had often forced workers to flee their job and thus become illegal migrants. The Bahrain government, reportedly the first in the gulf region to do away with the sponsorship system, must be commended for acknowledging the human rights issue and taking timely step in this regard.
There are positive signs from Kuwait too that the country is likely to start fresh recruitment of workers from Bangladesh, which it had stopped doing in 2006. We consider the initiative to form joint committee of the two countries to deal with the recruitment process a positive step. We are confident that this body would be able to stop irregularities in the recruitment process and prevent exploitation of workers. Happily too, the Government of Kuwait has approved the facility for job transfer, offering opportunity to the workers to move to better jobs.
All these, coming in the wake of the Saudi government's decision to put an end to the misery of 2 million Bangladeshi workers by passing regulations allowing them to switch jobs, are good auguries. The government of Bangladesh should also be credited for playing a proactive role in these developments.
While these positive developments are most welcome we feel it essential to draw the attention of the government to the fact that a good part of the travails of our workers start from here at home. The government should ensure that the process of recruitment is made foolproof at our end. It must see to it that people, seeking employment abroad, do not fall victims of cheats. And with a little bit of effort the demand for our workers abroad can be multiplied by adding value to their work by appropriate training.
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