A number of 66 female workers returned from Saudi Arabia on Saturday night, after being allegedly tortured at workplaces. Nine more workers who returned earlier on Thursday night made the same allegation.
But Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry which is supposed to work for them put the blame on the workers themselves, saying, “It is not totally right that female workers are not safe at all in Middle Eastern countries. 45 percent female workers return to the country breaking agreements, showing fake torture allegations.”
Labony, one of the 66 returnees, went to Saudi Arabia two years ago. During this two years time, she faced one after another adverse situation at her two workplaces.
After returning to the country, she told the Bangla Tribune: “I had to sweep 10 rooms at the residence where I worked, but they did not give me food regularly. The employer used to torture me. They did not let me go when I wished to leave the job. They used to beat me mercilessly whenever I wanted to leave.”
Several security officials of Shahjalal International Airport told this correspondent that many female workers mostly teenaged return to the country every day like Labony, losing their last hope. They sometimes give them food and financial support to go back to their village.
Several security officials at Shahjalal Airport said just after returning they start crying. Many bear torture marks on their bodies.
On condition of anonymity, a girl agreed to talk to Bangla Tribune at the airport. She went to Saudi Arab two years ago with a 1000 riyal salary contract. At her first workplace, she worked for four months. During this whole period, they did not let her talk to any family members.
The girl said, “I gave Tk 60,000 to a broker named Miraz who told me that the workplace would be very good. In Saudi Arab, I was first sold to an owner who used to torture me brutally. I fled from there as I could not bear the torture. The broker gang, being informed, caught me again and sold me at Tk 6 lakh to a brothel where several hundred Bangladeshi girls like me were also working. At that place, I was forced to prostitute my body.”
“One day, finding a scope, I phoned my husband in Bangladesh and told him everything. I was later rescued through the help of Saudi Embassy. Salary of my first workplace was due. It has been extracted from the owner creating pressure through the Embassy,” she added.
Nasima Khatun, another returnee, went to Saudi Arabia only two months ago.
In reply to the query over why she had to return so early, she broke into tears. After sometime, she said, “They detained me at a place for 15 days after I reached there. I went there giving Tk 10,000 to a broker who promised 1,000 riyal monthly salary. I worked as a domestic help. The owner’s wife used to beat me whenever I delayed. From there, the brokers sent me to another one’s residence. I had been beaten regularly at that place also. I then fled from there and contacted our Embassy. The Embassy officials sent me back without passport.”
It is tough to know how many female workers are at present waiting to return to the country at Saudi Arabia. Those who returned Saturday informed that 80 female workers returned in the same flight, another 40 to 50 are waiting at the immigration camp to return to the country and several hundred more at the Bangladesh mission.
Contacted, Dr Namita Halder, Secretary for Expatriates’ Welfare ministry, however, denied the torture allegation categorically, putting the blame on the workers themselves.
“It is not totally right that female workers are not at all safe in Middle Eastern countries. 45 percent female workers return to the country on fake torture allegations.”
She said, “We have informed the Saudi government about the torture allegations we get. In response, they have informed us that 45 percent of the Bangladeshi domestic helps return to country within three months breaking their agreements.”
She claimed to ‘know personally’ that all allegations of physical torture are ‘not right’.
Among the 66 returnees of Saturday, 12 have been brought back under the initiative of BRAC.
Contrasting the government explanation BRAC migration programme Chief Shakil Hasan told Bangla Tribune: “It is not at all believable that those who went there selling or mortgaging their last property would return within few months. Girls are returning every day. We are not only hearing their allegations, we are also witnessing the torture wounds on their bodies.”
PHOTO: BANGLA TRIBUNE/SAZZAD HOSSAIN
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