Drive urged to highlight migrant workers’ plight
By TARIQ KHONJI
Published: 7th April 2007
THE Bangladeshi envoy to Bahrain yesterday called for awareness campaigns to educate locals about the plight of migrant workers in the country. Bangladesh Ambassador Ruhul Amin said that while most Bangladeshi workers in Bahrain are happy with their employers, there are some who are being treated as if they are less than human.
He believes that the issue isn’t being highlighted enough through television dramas, plays, cartoons and other mediums.
“Most Bahrainis are good to their employees and Bangladeshis living in Bahrain are treated better than they are in many other countries,” said Mr Amin.
Drive urged to highlight migrant workers’ plight
By TARIQ KHONJI
Published: 7th April 2007
THE Bangladeshi envoy to Bahrain yesterday called for awareness campaigns to educate locals about the plight of migrant workers in the country. Bangladesh Ambassador Ruhul Amin said that while most Bangladeshi workers in Bahrain are happy with their employers, there are some who are being treated as if they are less than human.
He believes that the issue isn’t being highlighted enough through television dramas, plays, cartoons and other mediums.
“Most Bahrainis are good to their employees and Bangladeshis living in Bahrain are treated better than they are in many other countries,” said Mr Amin.
“But there are some who need to be enlightened and what I’m suggesting is that these issues should be depicted in art and the media in order to sensitise people and educate them about the issue.”
Mr Amin was speaking at an Open Day at the embassy’s premises in which hundreds of labourers discussed their problems with the embassy and underwent free medical check-ups.
He explained that the embassy often came across horrendous cases of physical and psychological abuse by sponsors against their employees.
“There was a Bahraini family who fed their maid only bread three times a day. Rarely would they give her anything else to eat. Last year when we came to hear about the case, we intervened,” continued Mr Amin.
“This family was living in the dark ages. They need to learn that not only is this inhumane, but it is also not economical. If the maid dies from malnourishment they will have to spend money to bring a new maid and if they don’t feed her properly, she won’t have the energy to work.”
In another case, a Bahraini sponsor was refusing to let his employee return home to Bangladesh even after he had suffered severe psychological damage after being attacked by one of his dogs.
“It took four hours of persuading by embassy staff to convince him to let him go home.”
Mr Amin said that many sponsors see their employees as their property, as if they are goats or cattle.
“You see this in the way that they are often transported in the back of vehicles,” he said.
“There are certain international human rights treaties, which Bahrain is a party to, that need to be respected and enforced,” he said.
“These include giving workers decent accommodation and proper food and this is clearly not being done in many cases.” he said.
© Gulf Daily News
