Eleven Bangladeshis have returned to Bangladesh on Monday morning after living a substandard life and engaging in unpaid employment in Iraq for about one year.
They are among a batch of 27 people sent abroad by recruiters Meghna Trade who had sold away all their assets in hope for employment abroad.
They landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 9:20am, Expatriate Welfare Desk Assistant Director Zahidul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune.
“We now have nothing. There is no way out except to beg on the streets,” Shafiqul Islam, one of those who returned on Monday, told the Dhaka Tribune.
“We demand compensation from the government. We want our salaries for 11 months,” he added.
Others who have returned with him are: Saidul Munshi and Illias Hossain from Faridpur, Shyamal Das from Munshiganj, Rubel from Maymensingh, Abdur Rahim and Abul Kalam from Naogaon, Mosharraf Hossain and Humayun Kabir from Tangail, Abul Kashem, and Faruq.
“Our employers made us sign a paper and asked to smile. He took a photo to prove that we are living in a happy condition,” Abul Kalam said. “But, we have not been paid.”
“We have lived in a terrible condition for 11 months,” Mosharraf Hossain said.
They were employed in Iraq after making a payment of Tk4 lakh each to Meghna Trade recruitment agency.
Eleven more of this batch had come back to Bangladesh previously. Two are currently missing and two more being held by police in Iraq. One has been taken by the employer.