Bangladesh resumes sending workers to Libya

Bangladesh has lifted the restriction on sending workers to Libya considering the improved political situation in the war-torn nation.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a letter to the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment on Tuesday last in this regard.

In the letter, the foreign ministry gave the nod to remove the earlier restriction of sending workers to Libya, and recommended that the expatriates' welfare ministry start necessary actions to send workers to that job market.

Referring to a letter of the Bangladesh Embassy in Tripoli, dated November 16, 2021, the foreign ministry in its letter said at present the political situation was gradually improving in Libya.

There are a significant number of jobs in Libya, and the demand for Bangladeshi workers is good there.

So, the embassy suggested that the government withdraw the restriction, the foreign ministry letter clarified.

Contacted, Dr Ahmed Munirus Saleheen, secretary of the expatriates' welfare ministry, said the government had withdrawn the restriction on sending workers to Libya.

Now, they will take necessary measures on how to send workers to the country in a safe and secure manner, he said.

Dr Saleheen, however, said there was a good opportunity for employment, especially in the construction sector.

Earlier, in 2012, the government banned sending workers to Libya, taking into consideration the safety issues following political unrest in the North African country.

But a section of manpower workers continued sending workers to that country through unofficial channels, sector insiders said.

On the other hand, human traffickers have been using Libya as a route to send workers to different European countries. In 2020, 26 Bangladeshi migrant workers in captivity were killed by human traffickers in Libya.

Therefore, migrant rights activists expressed concerns that human trafficking might increase with the reopening of sending workers to Libya.

Besides, they were also worried over the political situation there that was not stable.

Shakirul Islam, chairman of the Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Program (OKUP), said the overall political situation was not vibrant; so, sending workers to Libya was not safe.

Libya is a popular route for human traffickers, he said, adding that many Bangladeshi workers in different Middle Eastern countries were taken to Libya with the promise of jobs in Europe.

"But their dreams of a better life ended in nightmares," he said.

Human traffickers' rackets have to be brought under punishment; otherwise, the migrant workers will face the same exploitation that many of them experienced earlier, Mr Islam observed.

On the other hand, Ali Haider Chowdhury, former secretary general of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA), said employment opportunities would increase the following resumption of sending workers.

He also stressed the need for the proper initiative so that safe and orderly migration could be ensured.

A total of 122,495 Bangladeshis had gone to Libya with jobs since1976, according to data from the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training.