Sheuli Akhter Pinki came out of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around midnight on Friday (May 18). Outside the airport, Babul Saji was waiting for his daughter.
Pinki, who just returned from Saudi Arabia, broke into tears just after seeing her father. Babul tried hard to stop his daughter’s sobbing by embracing her, but all his efforts went in vain. Fifteen minutes later, she came to her senses, reports Bangla Tribune.
Now it is the father’s turn. Tears were rolling down his cheeks. However, the situation became normal after around an hour.
Pinki worked as a housemaid in the city of Dammam in Saudi Arabia. She had no idea as to where she was working. She did not know the language either. The employer gave her instruction in sign language.
She said every day she used to clean the three-storey building. There were 10 rooms in each floor.
“I used to wash dishes after waking every morning. I got wet from cleaning the house but could not manage time to wear dry cloth.
“I went to bed with wet cloth. Then I have to do the same work the next day. They gave me one piece of bread in the morning and another piece at night.
“I was not given any rice even after many requests. I want nobody to go to Saudi Arabia like me,” she said.
Pinki continued her experience of ordeal: “After I fell sick they took me to a camp. It was very hot and dirty there.
“On the first day of Ramadan [Thursday], I was given a piece of bread at night. Nine girls, including me, requested them to give us rice at sehri and they complied with it. I only had a glass of water during iftar. Two hours later, they gave us rice.”
A tearful Pinki further said: “I could not eat properly in Saudi Arabia. You tell me if there is any more pain other than that.”
Her father said: “My daughter is just 18. But in the passport her age was shown 26.
“Pinki wanted to earn a lot of money so her two siblings can study. But we were going to lose her. Finally she came back to us. Please pray for my daughter,” said Babul Saji.
Asked how much they spent for sending her to Saudi Arabia, Babul said: “I paid Tk45,000 to a travel agency named Al Monsur Overseas and Travels through a neighbour. I am supposed to pay them Tk55,000 more from my daughter’s earnings.”
Pinki said measures should be taken to shut these travel agencies. “Otherwise they would put many more girls in trouble.”
The travel agency sent nine girls including Pinki to Saudi Arabia.
Five girls, including Pinki, returned to Bangladesh from Saudi Arabia on May 18. Efforts are underway to bring back four other girls, said a human rights activist.
