The plight of Bangladeshi migrant workers has come under intense scrutiny as reports of deaths and arrests abroad continue to rise. In 2023, a staggering 4,552 migrant workers returned to Bangladesh as corpses, marking the highest figure in a decade. Between July 2017 and June 2022, 67.4% of the 17,871 dead bodies repatriated to Bangladesh originated from the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The causes of death often remain unexplained, with stroke or heart attack frequently cited. The Bangladeshi government does not verify the accuracy of death certificates issued by destination countries, raising concerns about the true circumstances surrounding these deaths. Factors such as extreme heat, overwork, pollution, and inadequate healthcare access may contribute to the alarming mortality rate among these workers. It is crucial for destination countries to enforce laws that ensure safe working conditions and to conduct thorough investigations into the deaths of migrant workers. Bangladesh must also pressure these countries to provide a safe working environment and demand proper investigations and compensation for the deceased workers. Both origin and destination countries share the responsibility of ensuring the safety and well-being of migrant workers [5a86c489].
In addition to the rising death toll, the situation for Bangladeshi workers has worsened with the recent arrests of 93 migrant workers in Saudi Arabia. These arrests occurred on April 11, 2024, following clashes between rival groups of workers from Sylhet and Brahmanbaria during rallies in Riyadh. Families of the detained individuals claim that many of those arrested are innocent. Aman Ali, a father of two sons among the detained, has voiced concerns about the lack of transparency in the arrests. Muhammad Reza-E-Rabbi from the Bangladesh Embassy has stated that efforts for repatriation are ongoing, but the embassy faces challenges due to negative perceptions surrounding the incident. The tensions that led to the arrests reportedly stemmed from a robbery incident, which was exacerbated by a viral TikTok video that prompted police intervention. The repatriation process for the detained workers has been initiated following the Emir's approval, but the situation remains tense and uncertain for many families [50c133a0].
Moreover, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud revealed that a total of 11,450 Bangladeshis, including migrant workers, are currently imprisoned in 31 countries. The highest number of Bangladeshi prisoners, 5,746, are in jails in Saudi Arabia, highlighting the precarious situation for workers abroad. Other countries with significant numbers of Bangladeshi prisoners include India (1,579), Türkiye (508), and Oman (420). The increasing number of Bangladeshi prisoners in foreign countries adds to the growing concerns about the safety and well-being of migrant workers, emphasizing the urgent need for both origin and destination countries to take action to protect their rights and ensure their safety [aa3178f5].