Although there is limited scope for work in Libya at present, an unscrupulous and organised syndicate is illegally sending Bangladeshis to the war-torn country with allures of lucrative jobs, says a report of the Bangladesh embassy in Tripoli.
Submitted at a labour attaché conference in Dhaka last month, the report requested the government to identify and take stern action against the syndicate.
“The Libyan labour market is now volatile and the foreign traders are reluctant to run their business here,” one of the embassy officials, requesting anonymity, told The Daily Star recently.
“But a large number of Bangladeshis enter here illegally every month,” he said.
A large portion of the 45,000 Bangladeshis currently working in Libya entered illegally with assistance of the syndicate. Some entered through Egypt and Sudan while others went further to Italy, said the report.
This was possible as the syndicate comprises dishonest officials of the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) and of the immigration department at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, it said.
The syndicate charges each person Tk 2.5 lakh to 3 lakh, it mentioned.
The limited scope for work resulted from political and economic instabilities and the interim government of Libya already warned the embassy about the workers illegally entering the country, it said.
“If the Bangladesh government fails to contain the illegal manpower exporters, the working Bangladeshis may face a tougher situation both in Libya and Italy,” it added.
Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry Secretary Zafar Ahmed Khan told The Daily Star recently that they had taken “some action” against fraud manpower exporting agencies.
“We asked the immigration officials to be more careful so that none can go using fake visas,” he said.
As per the immigration officials, around 100 to 150 Bangladeshis are held every month with fake passports and visas during immigration checks.
“A group of brokers at the BMET office and at the airport help these workers manage passports and visas and avoid immigration checks,” said one of the officials.
Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies Secretary General Ali Haider Chowdhury told The Daily Star recently that the government should take action against any registeredZ recruiting agency found involved.
Before the civil war in Libya in 2011, there were around 60,000 Bangladeshi workers. During the war, 38,000 returned and around 16,000 fled to neighbouring Middle Eastern countries while the rest stayed back, states the report.
Submitted at a labour attaché conference in Dhaka last month, the report requested the government to identify and take stern action against the syndicate.
“The Libyan labour market is now volatile and the foreign traders are reluctant to run their business here,” one of the embassy officials, requesting anonymity, told The Daily Star recently.
“But a large number of Bangladeshis enter here illegally every month,” he said.
A large portion of the 45,000 Bangladeshis currently working in Libya entered illegally with assistance of the syndicate. Some entered through Egypt and Sudan while others went further to Italy, said the report.
This was possible as the syndicate comprises dishonest officials of the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) and of the immigration department at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, it said.
The syndicate charges each person Tk 2.5 lakh to 3 lakh, it mentioned.
The limited scope for work resulted from political and economic instabilities and the interim government of Libya already warned the embassy about the workers illegally entering the country, it said.
“If the Bangladesh government fails to contain the illegal manpower exporters, the working Bangladeshis may face a tougher situation both in Libya and Italy,” it added.
Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry Secretary Zafar Ahmed Khan told The Daily Star recently that they had taken “some action” against fraud manpower exporting agencies.
“We asked the immigration officials to be more careful so that none can go using fake visas,” he said.
As per the immigration officials, around 100 to 150 Bangladeshis are held every month with fake passports and visas during immigration checks.
“A group of brokers at the BMET office and at the airport help these workers manage passports and visas and avoid immigration checks,” said one of the officials.
Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies Secretary General Ali Haider Chowdhury told The Daily Star recently that the government should take action against any registeredZ recruiting agency found involved.
Before the civil war in Libya in 2011, there were around 60,000 Bangladeshi workers. During the war, 38,000 returned and around 16,000 fled to neighbouring Middle Eastern countries while the rest stayed back, states the report.
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