It is a common sight to see our stranded migrant workers agitating on the streets. It is either to demand more flights to get to their workplaces in various countries in the Middle East, or for resuming flights that have remained suspended since the end of March, or to demand to have their visas extended, as we saw on Monday, when several thousand stranded workers waiting to return to Malaysia held demonstrations in front of the foreign ministry demanding that the government take immediate measures to review their visas. There are as many as 25,000 workers who had come back home, either on leave or because of Covid-19, since the outbreak of the pandemic, but could not return to Malaysia after its authorities announced they will not be taking in any foreign workers till the end of this year. Malaysia may have its own compulsions and employ measures as it deems fit to prevent the spread of the virus, but for Bangladeshi workers, their visas are running out and they will lose their jobs if they are not renewed.

One of the sectors hardest hit by the pandemic is overseas employment and expatriate workers. A large number of our ten million expatriates working abroad had to return home to Bangladesh after having their jobs terminated or after being furloughed, which means that while they retain their jobs, they earn nothing during the period of their absence. Many of them returned home without adequate remuneration. At home, most of them were without any work. These are the ones whose problems the government should address urgently.

As for the stranded workers employed in Malaysia, the relevant ministries should ensure that their jobs are not terminated because of expired visas. Covid-19 has imposed on us a force majeure on which no party has a hand, but all the parties can work together to reduce the burden of unemployment that our workers are facing. We shouldn't overlook the fact that there are ten million of our nationals working abroad. These workers have added to increased remittance flows that is likely to increase by eight percent by end of 2021. The consequences of them losing their jobs will be grim. We hope our government will be successful in convincing the Malaysian government to consider these factors and extend the visas of these workers so that they may resume their work when Malaysia opens its doors to foreign workers.