Nandan Kumar of Cumilla recounted his tale of woe while standing at the airport after returning from Saudi Arabia: “I gave 6,500 Riyal for renewing my work permit and, at that time, was arrested by the police; when I called the employer to get released from the police, he did not answer the phone.”
Later, Nandan Kumar was sent home empty handed. Afzal from Narayanganj also came back with Nandan Kumar. He had gone to Saudi Arabia only two and a half months ago, spending Tk 370,000.
Most of those who returned home under Saudi Arabia’s ‘Nation without violation’ scheme , allege that though they had paid money for the work permit, they did not get the documents.
Instead, when they were arrested, their employers simply disavowed them. As a result, their visas were revoked and the men sent back to the country.
They were all victims of the so called ‘Free visa.’
Based on these accusations, the Bangladesh embassy said that to work in Saudi Arabia, work permit was not enough. If one used the permit for a specific job to work in another sector then that work was termed illegal.
Middle Eastern countries issue a variety of visas: family visa, visit visa, engineering visa, house attendant visa etc. Those who live in Saudi Arabia often send back ‘Free visa’ which many Bangladeshis used to get engaged in a variety of works and small businesses. The work permit was renewed by the sponsor.
After the general amnesty ended in 2017, going to Saudi Arabia on free visa became illegal and so, many came back empty handed.
Reportedly, many Saudi citizens give fake demand letters for workers which the brokers in Bangladesh buy. This is then bought by recruiting agency at a higher price. Then the demand letter is attested from the embassy and visas collected, which are sold at double the rate. While the government fixed migration cost is Tk 165,000, the expenses go up to Tk 700,000.
An official of the Bangladesh Rmbassy said: “There isn’t any agreement with Saudi Arabia to send male worker----- only a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, to send female workers and there is nothing called free visa.”
A few unscrupulous businessmen have begun the free visa deception in collusion with Saudi citizens.
As per information of the Saudi government, from Sept 21 2017 till Feb 2 of this year, 105,000 899 Bangladeshi workers fled their work place.
Reports from Saudi government show that most who were sent back went to Saudi on free visa and engaged in work, which was illegal.
Secretary of Expatriate Welfare and Foreign Employment, Selim Reza, said: “We will take steps to stop free visa trade and this will be done with support from the Saudi authority.”
Head of BRAC migration programme, Shariful Hassan, said: “As per laws in the Middle- east, the buying and selling of visas is a punishable offence. When Bangladeshis go to one country, visa buying and selling begins which has an impact on the labour market.”
In the end, the extra cost of going abroad fell on the worker and recovering that money was tough, added Shariful Hassan.
Due to illegal visa trade, 700,000 Bangladeshis became' illegal 'in 2012-13.
Organisational secretary of Manpower Exporters’ organization BAIRA, Shamim Ahmed Chowdhury, said: “The visa trade does not happen in Bangladesh. It takes place in the country where visas are issued. To stop this, a system has to be formulated.”