700, not 40,000 domestic helps sent back from KSA: Arab News

Contrary to an earlier report, only 700 not 40,000 Bangladeshi domestic helps have returned home from Saudi Arabia due to various reasons, Arab News reported on Thursday with its headline reading ‘Over 40,000 Bangladeshi housemaids happy in KSA’. Earlier on Tuesday, the same Saudi Newspaper erroneously reported that some 40,000 Bangladeshi domestic helps were sent back home due to various reasons. “Fifty per cent of the Bangladeshi housemaids who had come to the Kingdom since the beginning of the recruitment process was sent back home for various reasons, including refusal to work,” the earlier report had said.
“Bangladesh Embassy has categorically denied reports that 40,000 Bangladeshi housemaids have been deported from the Kingdom, also reported the newspaper on Tuesday.
The report had also quoted Hussein Al-Harthi, proprietor of a recruitment office, who reportedly told local media that as many as 40,000 domestic helps, which is 50 per cent of the total recruited to work in the Kingdom, have been deported, said the report. “The reasons for their return were refusal to work, lack of training in Bangladesh, language barrier, lack of adaptability to the Kingdom’s culture,” he had reportedly said.
Quoting Labour Counsellor Sarwar Alam, the newer report published on Thursday said that so far only 47,000 Bangladeshi housemaids have come to the Kingdom since 2015.
“Our domestic aides are content with the work conditions in the Kingdom and their employers are also satisfied with their services,” he said, adding that these maids undergo a special orientation programme prior to their departure for the Kingdom.
“Out of these, only about 700 housemaids have returned to Bangladesh, due to various reasons,” the counsellor said.
Both sides are working closely to ensure safe and decent work environment for female domestic workers, he said. In January, the two sides decided to increase the number of housemaids that are sent to the Kingdom.
Bangladesh Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Golam Moshi said, “Besides more maids from Bangladesh, the Saudis also want more male and female academicians to work in local universities. Around 4,000 housemaids come to the Kingdom monthly and this will be increased to cater to the local labour market.”
He said that Saudi authorities have pledged to appoint mega recruiting offices to deal with the large intake of housemaids.
During the bilateral meeting, the two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in manpower sector through addressing issues to reduce migration cost, imparting training to Saudi-bound workers and recruiting more male workers for mutual benefits. There are around 1.3 million Bangladeshis currently working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

 

700, not 40,000 domestic helps sent back from KSA: Arab News

Contrary to an earlier report, only 700 not 40,000 Bangladeshi domestic helps have returned home from Saudi Arabia due to various reasons, Arab News reported on Thursday with its headline reading Over 40,000 Bangladeshi housemaids happy in KSA. Earlier on Tuesday, the same Saudi Newspaper erroneously reported that some 40,000 Bangladeshi domestic helps were sent back home due to various reasons. Fifty per cent of the Bangladeshi housemaids who had come to the Kingdom since the beginning of the recruitment process was sent back home for various reasons, including refusal to work, the earlier report had said. Bangladesh Embassy has categorically denied reports that 40,000 Bangladeshi housemaids have been deported from the Kingdom, also reported the newspaper on Tuesday. The report had also quoted Hussein Al-Harthi, proprietor of a recruitment office, who reportedly told local media that as many as 40,000 domestic helps, which is 50 per cent of the total recruited to work in the Kingdom, have been deported, said the report. The reasons for their return were refusal to work, lack of training in Bangladesh, language barrier, lack of adaptability to the Kingdoms culture, he had reportedly said. Quoting Labour Counsellor Sarwar Alam, the newer report published on Thursday said that so far only 47,000 Bangladeshi housemaids have come to the Kingdom since 2015. Our domestic aides are content with the work conditions in the Kingdom and their employers are also satisfied with their services, he said, adding that these maids undergo a special orientation programme prior to their departure for the Kingdom. Out of these, only about 700 housemaids have returned to Bangladesh, due to various reasons, the counsellor said. Both sides are working closely to ensure safe and decent work environment for female domestic workers, he said. In January, the two sides decided to increase the number of housemaids that are sent to the Kingdom. Bangladesh Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Golam Moshi said, Besides more maids from Bangladesh, the Saudis also want more male and female academicians to work in local universities. Around 4,000 housemaids come to the Kingdom monthly and this will be increased to cater to the local labour market. He said that Saudi authorities have pledged to appoint mega recruiting offices to deal with the large intake of housemaids. During the bilateral meeting, the two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in manpower sector through addressing issues to reduce migration cost, imparting training to Saudi-bound workers and recruiting more male workers for mutual benefits. There are around 1.3 million Bangladeshis currently working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.