AS many as 2,000 Bangladeshi nationals are returning to their home country every month since late last year, it has emerged.
Diplomats told the GDN that an average of 20 to 40 men are either deported, or leave the country voluntarily daily due to the harsh living and working conditions.
While almost 20 per cent of these men opted to leave Bahrain since they don’t find the situation favourable any more, the rest are illegal workers who are being deported by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority or the Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs (NPRA).
Bangladeshi Embassy labour consul Shaikh Tahidul Islam told the GDN no Bangladeshi national has officially entered Bahrain after the murder of Bahraini imam Shaikh Abduljalil Hmood by a Bangladeshi muezzin (prayer caller) in Muharraq on August 4, 2018.
Mr Islam
“On an average between 1,000 and 2,000 Bangladesh nationals leave the country every month and we have been observing this phenomenon since August 2018,” he said.
“At least 40 to 60 people leave in a day; they are caught either by LMRA or immigration officials and deported.
“Around 10pc to 20pc of these approach the embassy for an exit, as they no more find the situation favourable in Bahrain.
“And many of them became illegal not because of their fault but because their sponsors have cancelled their visas.
“Since August 2018, no visas for Bangladeshi nationals have been approved.”
The GDN reported last August that following the murder of the imam NPRA had imposed a restriction on new visas for foreign workers from certain countries, which it described as part of a move to tackle illegal migration.
The 39-year-old muezzin was sentenced to death by the High Criminal Court, a ruling later upheld by the Cassation Court.
He apparently beat Shaikh Hmood with a metal rod until he died after morning prayers inside the Bin Shiddah Mosque in Muharraq, where they both worked.
He later dismembered the imam’s body and was caught by witnesses dumping it in plastic bags near a scrap yard in Askar.
“We haven’t had any major concerns of crime being reported of late, but yes, we are aware of a group involved in criminal activities, which we understand are illegal in the country,” said Mr Islam.
“Whenever we come across such incidents we report them to the police.
“However, we also provide consular assistance, which is the mission’s responsibility. But this doesn’t mean we support or encourage them (criminal elements), we are with the Bahraini government agencies in bringing them to justice.
“We believe that the number of incidents reported have gone down since August 2018.
“We attribute this to the mission’s no-tolerance attitude to crime and social outreach efforts to educate our nationals on the need to be law-abiding citizens.”
Mr Islam noted that following the visa restriction many families have been left stranded, while thousands of truck drivers are still stuck in Saudi Arabia as they are denied entry at the King Fahad Causeway.
“Still on an average at least 10 people visit the embassy seeking visas.
“There are many families here who wish to bring their parents on a visit, or long-term residents working with major companies who want to bring their families but cannot.
“We also have many Bahrainis visiting the embassy seeking visas, as they are happy with our workforce.
‘We urge Bahraini officials to consider our requests to help these cases which are genuine.”
The GDN reported in March that nearly 2,500 Bangladeshi drivers are allegedly being turned back at King Fahad Causeway.
The heavy vehicle drivers used to travel between the two nations prior to August 2018 but are now apparently at risk of losing their jobs.
However, Bangladeshis residing in Saudi Arabia who hold permanent Bahrain visas are allowed to enter.
raji@gdn.com.bh
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