‘Embassy in Libya didn’t help’

Returnees demand jobs, compensation

Staff Reporter

 

The leaders  of Libya Expatriates Welfare Association (LEWA) on Wednesday demanded  of the government  to give compensation to those expatriates who have returned home penniless from Libya without completing their stipulated period of employment.

Briefing  the press  at the National Press Club,  general secretary of LEWA Mominur Rahman Talukder  placed 10-point demand including employment of  the repatriated Bangladeshi workers from Libya to the government. The  workers who have come back home from Libya without completing  job-term should be given priority  by the government while exporting manpower to other countries, he said.

Mominur  also pleaded with the government to realise the arrear salaries and dues of the repatriated workers from the companies which hired them and waive interest on loans taken by the workers from different financial organizations and bodies at the time of going to Libya.

Painting a grim picture of the workers who returned home from Libya, the LEWA general  secretary said many of them fell victim to snatchers and hooligans at different areas in Libya. Taking advantage of the trouble in that country the miscreants looted money, mobile phone and other valuables  from the possession of a large number of Bangladeshis in that country, he added.

Speaking at the press conference, joint secretary of LEWA Abu Syed said the law and order has totally collapsed in Libya.  He also blamed the officials of the Bangladesh embassy in Tripoli for not extending anyhelp to the distressed Bangladeshi workers despite fervent appeal for help. While the officials of the embassies of other countries were quick in arranging air and sea craft for the repatriation of their workers, the officials of our embassy in Tripoli took no step to ensure the safe return of our workers, he alleged.  Most of the Bangladeshi expatriates managed to fly back home with the help of the International Organization for Migration. He regretted to state that the officials of our embassy in Tripoli  offered  no help and support to the imperiled Bangladeshi workers.

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Source: The New Nation - Independent Daily