Govt strings deposit cut with lower migration cost

The government would consider withdrawal of the newly imposed Tk one crore mandatory security deposit by manpower exporters to Saudi Arabia if they reduce the present high cost of migration.

The government at a meeting with manpower exporters to Saudi Arabia yesterday gave them 15 days' time to come out with a suggestion to reduce the migration cost, which is three to four times the official rate.

At the meeting, the recruiters led by BAIRA President M A H Salim MP urged State Minister for Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Mohamamd Quamrul Islam to withdraw the government decision.

But he declined to withdraw the new provision for Tk one crore deposit unless manpower exporters agree to reduce the migration cost to a "tolerable position", according to sources.

The recruiters told the meeting that the new step would create a monopoly and seriously hamper manpower export to Saudi Arabia.

The state minister blamed the recruiters for charging money three to four times higher than the government-fixed rate in sending a worker to Saudi Arabia.

Recruiters charge more than Tk 1.20 lakh while the government-fixed rate is Tk 50,000 at the maximum.

"If they come up with a solution to reduce the migration cost we would consider withdrawal of the new rule," Quamrul Islam told The Daily Star last night.

Otherwise, the government would take stern action for fraudulence in sending workers abroad, he said.

The deposit has been increased to give compensation to the workers cheated by recruiters, he added.

The recruiters will also have to take the responsibility of workers who would come back home or become jobless abroad within the contract period, the state minister said.

When contacted, BAIRA Secretary General Ghulam Mustafa said that they will give written proposals to the government by January 31.

He claimed that at the meeting, the government agreed to defer effectiveness of its new decision till January 31.

According to sources, only 80 recruiters out of total 700 are active in manpower export to Saudi Arabia now.

The meeting held at the office if Bangladesh Manpower Export and Training (BMET) was also attended by some other government officials and executive committee members of BAIRA (Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies).