Bangladesh News

Thirty deported workers from Malaysia yesterday staged a sit-in at the Zia International Airport, demanding compensation from the government for their being cheated and the huge amount of money they spent for preparing legal papers and getting jobs.

“Fifty-three of us went to Malaysia through recruiting agency Tangail Overseas, but it could not give us work permit although it took a lot of money from us,” said Rubel, one of the deported workers.

“We will not leave until we get any compensation from the government,” he said. “We sold our land properties and other valuables and now we have nothing to spend for living. The recruiting agent in Bangladesh and the Malaysian agent took a lot of money from us.”

The workers alleged that they got little assistance from Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur.

Rubel said they went to Malaysia on March 22, 2007 but after working for just 35 days at a company they were fired because they did not have legal work permits.

Their recruiting agent Karim of Tangail Overseas managed to employ them elsewhere through the Bangladesh High Commission and a Malaysian agent. Karim took Tk 36,000 from each of them, the workers said.

“We sought help from Bangladesh High Commission for returning home but they did not help. We came back home with the help of [Malaysian human rights organisation] Tenaganita,” Rubel said.