Recruiting agencies ‘charge excess from oversees jobseekers’

Recruiting agencies are charging much more fees than the ones fixed by the government for the migration of overseas jobseekers, reports UNB.

According to sources at the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET), the government fixed Tk 1,85,000 as migration cost for the Bangladeshi workers going to Saudi Arabia.

In 2008, the government also fixed TK 84,000 as migration cost for going to the countries like Qatar, the UAE, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Lebanon and Malaysia.

However, a good number of workers bound for Saudi Arabia alleged that the recruiting agencies are taking Tk 8-9 lakh from them via brokers for migrating to Saudi Arabia works.

Md Manik Miah, an overseas jobseeker hailing from Mymensingh, told UNB that he has already contacted some brokers as he wants to go to a Middle East country. The brokers demanded Tk 5-6 lakh for Malaysia, 4-5 lakh for Qatar, and 7-8 lakh for Saudi Arabia.

Another jobseeker Zakaria, hailing from Kishoreganj, also claimed that a broker has demanded Tk 4 lakh from him for going to Qatar, and Tk 8 lakh for Saudi Arabia.

Asked expatriates' welfare and overseas employment minister Nurul Islam told UNB that migration cost is being reduced every year, and they also have a plan to reduce the cost to a zero level.

He also admitted that the recruiting agencies are charging excessive fees from the jobseekers. If allegations are made against any recruiting agency, the authorities will take proper action, the minister added.

Last year, the minister mentioned, a taskforce conducted 14 drives against the irregularities in the sector and fined four recruiting agencies for sending workers to the Middle East illegally.

Director general of Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) Selim Reja said they will take steps for making the taskforce more active to stop the illegal activities of the recruiting agencies. If proved, the licenses of errand recruiting agencies will be cancelled, he said.

Chairperson of the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) professor Tasneem Siddiqui said it is really tough to implement the government fixed charge for migration of jobseekers.

The government needs to work internationally for the process and to hold multilateral meeting with the governments of the Middle East countries instead of bi-lateral meetings, he suggested.

The RMMRU chairperson also suggested taking steps to stop the process of bringing visas from the Middle East countries through person channels.

Tasneem Siddiqui also said visa trading should be banned as it is a reason for excess migration cost.

According to her, 80 per cent visas are coming through personal channels while the through companies in Bangladesh.

President of Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) Benzir Ahmed said the government needs to strictly monitor the recruiting agencies and identify those involved in taking excessive charges.