Stop sending female workers to KSA, MPs in parliament

Jatiya Party and Gonoforum MPs on Tuesday demanded that sending female manpower to Saudi Arabia for domestic works be stopped as they often face physical assault and harassment.

In reply, Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmed said the government is very much worried about the matter.

During the question-answer session, Jatiya Party MPs Kazi Firoz Rashid and Mujibul Huq Chunnu, and Gonoforum MP Sultan Muhammed Mansur Ahmed raised the issue separately.

taken steps to send female workers after training on various protective measures. If it seems that this is completely impossible then we’ll think not to send any female worker [to KSA],” the minister said.
Imran said he called in the charge de affaires of Saudi Arab mission in Dhaka and discussed the matter.

He mentioned that the Bangladesh envoy in Saudi Arabia has been directed to raise the issue with the Foreign Ministry of that country.

“The Joint Technical Group will sit on November 26-27 in Saudi Arabia and the matter will be raised there,” the minister added.

He said manpower export fully depends on the demand of the respective country. “Our efforts will be to ensure dignified jobs for women. If we see this is not possible to ensure, we’ll then think to stop it.”

In the last couple of months, Imran Ahmed said, the government has suspended the licences of 160 travel agencies, while revoked that of three.

Dhaka/Asad/AKA