24 Bangladeshi women held captive in Saudi Arabia, rescued

A total of 24 Bangladeshi women, who remained in captivity illegally by a Saudi recruiting agency, have been rescued in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) recently.

At the initiative of the Bangladeshi Embassy and with the help of Saudi law enforcers, the women were rescued from Arar city, 1,100km away from the Saudi capital Riyadh, according to a press release.

Receiving information over the confinement of the women, the Ambassador of Bangladesh to Saudi Arabia Dr Mohammad Javed Patwary asked the Labour Welfare Wing of the embassy to take necessary steps to rescue them without delay.

The ambassador also directed the Labour Welfare Wing to send them back to Bangladesh as soon as possible.

According to the Labour Welfare Wing, a Saudi recruiting agency named Maqtab Taowasul Alsari took the women there illegally through a Bangladesh recruiting agency named Messrs S Anwar overseas and held them captive instead of sending them to the workplaces of Saudi employers.

Later, all the connections between the women from their native homes were disconnected. Even, if any woman fell sick due to insufficient food and safe water, they were not provided treatment, said the release.

The concerned Saudi agency also obstructed the officials of the embassy while they wanted to visit the spot and inspect the condition of the women.

Currently, 24 women are undergoing treatment at the Saudi Female Deportation Centre.

The Saudi recruiting agency was shut down after filing a case.

The Saudi authority concerned is continuing its sincere efforts to send those women to Bangladesh quickly, the release also said.