Around 40,000 undocumented Bangladeshi migrant workers are likely to become trapped in Saudi Arabia, as an amnesty offer for illegal workers is set to expire with all outgoing flights from the Middle East country being booked for hajj.
These migrants had taken out-passes from the Bangladesh embassy in Saudi Arabia to return home, availing the Saudi government’s amnesty for illegal foreign workers which would end on November 3.
According to the Bangladesh embassy in Saudi Arabia, 70,000 migrants have taken out-passes to return home. Of them, 25,000 to 30,000 migrants have already returned.
“We are seriously concerned that around 40,000 migrant workers would be in serious trouble as they could not return home because flights of all airlines are booked,” Bangladesh Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Md Shahidul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune over phone recently.
He said these illegal migrants have taken out-passes from the embassy to return home availing the Saudi general amnesty.
The migrant workers will face no problem if they return before November 3, the diplomat said, adding that the migrants will however face imprisonment and fines if they fail to return home.
Asked why migrant workers are not returning home now, he said the workers want to earn extra from job opportunities during the hajj season.
A total of 87,689 pilgrims from Bangladesh are scheduled to perform hajj this year. The return flights for hajj pilgrims will start on October 19.
Meanwhile, officials in Dhaka also admitted that a huge crisis will emerge and Bangladeshi expatriates would be in trouble. Expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment Secretary Zafar Ahmed Khan said the issue was under serious consideration and the foreign ministry was looking into the matter.
“I have requested our ambassador to write to the civil aviation as it is a problem at that end,” he told the Dhaka Tribune over phone yesterday.
It was difficult to plan in Bangladesh at this moment, the secretary said, adding: “We still do not know how many migrants have taken out-passes for returning.”
