Photo: Collected
Hundreds of aspiring migrant workers, unable to secure flights to Malaysia, staged a sit-in protest at the SAARC Circle in Karwan Bazar, Dhaka, this morning (22 January), demanding their promised jobs in the country.
The workers, part of a group of 18,000 who missed the 31 May deadline last year, set by Malaysian authorities, blamed recruiting agencies and authorities for failing to provide air tickets.
"The Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare assured us of our jobs in Malaysia as we have already paid the agencies. However, we have not seen any progress," protester Main Uddin Babu told The Business Standard.
Approximately 150 protesters gathered at 9am, halting traffic between Karwan Bazar and the Panthapath intersection. Their demands include sending all stranded workers, whether due to syndication or delays, by 20 February.
The protesters emphasised that all affected workers, including those who paid recruitment fees up to 5/6 lakhs but have yet to receive manpower approval, must be sent.
They also called for forming a remittance foundation for expatriates. At 11:10am, police cleared the SAARC Circle blockade, prompting protesters to move to a nearby footpath near Sonargaon Hotel where they continued their protest.
They vowed to continue the blockade until an interim government adviser met them with assurance. The protest follows a pledge by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to facilitate the workers' migration during his Dhaka visit in October last year.
Messenger/JRTarek
