Dhaka, April 11 – Bangladeshi nationals, employed in Middle Eastern (ME) countries and now on vacation at home, will not lose their jobs for late joining to their respective job stations under the current situation, says the government.The governments in the ME countries will either extend their leave or visa validity, said State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam.
“They (Bangladesh nationals) won’t be terminated (for the late joining),” he said responding to queries from the Bangladeshi nationals who work in the ME countries.
The state minister said missions of the ME countries in Dhaka and Bangladesh missions in the ME countries have confirmed the job-related issues through foreign ministries of those countries.
Some Bangladesh nationals from the ME countries came to Bangladesh on vacation but could not return to their respective workplaces following the suspension of flight operation or lockdown though their vacation period got over officially.
Meanwhile, Kuwait wants to send back Bangladeshi nationals who are already in deportation centre or convicted in the first phase, an official at Bangladesh Embassy there told UNB on Friday night.
Asked whether the first batch returns home on Saturday (today), the official, however, said he is not aware of it.
On Thursday, Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior announced initiatives to begin extradition process of “illegal residents”, comprising Bangladesh and Indian nationals.
The “deportation” process of Bangladeshi expatriates is scheduled to start on Saturday, according to Kuwait national media.
The measures are taken without imposing any fines on them and they can return to Kuwait in the future following due process.
On Sunday, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said 4-5 countries, including the Maldives, have reached out Bangladesh to bring back its undocumented nationals from their respective countries.
He said the government will take steps case by case considering the ground reality.
Dr Momen said though the number of countries which came up with the request is few but it is a pressure on the government at this critical moment for the whole world due to coronavirus. “We’re under pressure to some extent. All the countries are under pressure,” he told reporters.
Dr Momen hoped that Bangladesh will not be in big trouble considering the relations that Bangladesh maintains with those countries and the steps being taken to further strengthen the relations with them.
He said the Foreign Minister of the Maldives had a phone conversation with him conveying the situation about the undocumented Bangladeshi nationals.
The Maldives Foreign Minister highlighted the downfall of tourism business and closure of restaurants there and assured the Bangladesh Foreign Minister of taking well care of documented nationals.
The Maldives initially urged the undocumented nationals to get registered. “We don’t think all will return,” he told reporters.
Bangladesh also shared the economic situation of the country due to coronavirus with foreign countries. – UNB
