As many as 441 workers have been deported from Saudi Arabia in the last nine days amid a crackdown on undocumented workers.
On Wednesday (Oct 8), a Saudi Airlines SV 804 flight landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka with 42 workers.
On Tuesday (Oct 7) as many as 63 workers returned from the Middle Eastern country, while 250 returned on Oct 3 and 4 and other 86 people returned on Oct 5, according to the Immigration and Expatriates Welfare desk at the Dhaka airport.
BRAC Migration Program, with the help of Expatriate Welfare desk, provided emergency services to the migrants.
According to the returnees, they are being forced to come back despite having legal documents.
They said that they were being detained by the police upon returning home from the workplace and their employees refused to take their responsibility.
Shamim, a returnee who hails from Pirojpur, said that he went to Saudi Arabia one-and-half months ago, spending around Tk 350,000 but he was deported despite the legal work permit.
Mohiduddin from Munshiganj said that he has been working in Saudi Arabia for the last 10 years with legal work permit was still detained.
He alleged that he was beaten up for wanting to know the reason behind his detention. Many like him complained that they were sent back on false allegations.
“This year around 10,000-11,000 workers were sent back from Saudi Arabia,” said BRAC Migration Program chief Shariful Hassan.
He added that the embassy and ministry can scrutinise the allegations of the returnees that they were being sent back despite being there legally.