[ALOCHONA] Arab Times Kuwait - Bangladesh protests ‘expulsion’ remarks

 Venality of politicians not restricted to Bangladesh. Or is Kuwait an exceptional nation.

Bangladesh protests 'expulsion' remarks 

KUWAIT CITY:

http://www.arabtimesonline.com/client/pagesdetails.asp?nid=16180&ccid=9#

 

The Embassy of the People's Republic of Bangladesh expresses its deep concern regarding the news on the expulsion of Bangladesh workers (published in the Arab Times on April 29, 2008). The remark made by an individual seems to be irresponsible and ill motivated, said the embassy Tuesday in a press statement. "Bangladesh and Kuwait have excellent bilateral relations. The contribution Bangladeshis to making a modern Kuwait and their participation in the Liberation War of Kuwait is also well known to everyone. If any Bangladeshi national commits any crime, the law-enforcing agency of the State of Kuwait may take necessary measures. But it is unfortunate to know that an individual is blaming the whole Bangladeshi community and making un-necessary sweeping remarks, which are creating confusion among the Bangladeshi community. "The embassy expresses its strong protest against the remarks made by such individual."

 

Bangladeshi worker protests threaten labour market in Kuwait

Staff Correspondent

New Age

http://www.newagebd.com/front.html#17

 

Protests by Bangladeshi workers complaining of non-payment of salaries and inhumane working conditions in Kuwait have threatened the employment prospects of the country in the oil-rich Gulf nation as a radical Islamist politician, contesting next month's election, has urged the interior minister to expel all the Bangladeshi workers.

  

The Kuwaiti politician's demand might jeopardise further employment of Bangladeshis as the Arab nation has only recently lifted a ban on recruiting them and allowing them to transfer work visas.

  

The Kuwait Times on April 29 quoted Mohammad Hayef Al-Mutairi — general secretary of the Ummah Principles Alliance, a hard-line Islamist party — as saying that the interior minister should immediately expel Bangladeshi workers because they constitute a risk to the country.

  

The same paper, in its April 30 issue, reported that the Bangladesh embassy in Kuwait on April 29 issued a strong protest against Al-Mutairi's statement.

  

Md Nurul Islam, charge d'affaires of the Bangladesh mission in Kuwait, said, 'It is unfortunate to hear that an individual is blaming the whole Bangladeshi community and making unnecessarily sweeping remarks.'

  

'If any Bangladeshi national commits any crime, the law enforcing agency of Kuwait may take the necessary legal measures,' he added.

  

In his statement Al-Mutairi said that Bangladeshi nationals were behind the rising crime rate, and were responsible for murders, abductions and immoral crimes.

  

'Enough is enough. What these workers have been doing has exceeded the limit and threatens dire consequences for the country,' he added.

  

'Bangladeshi workers represent a serious danger to the country's security and its noble values. The interior minister should issue an immediate and brave decision to expel those (Bangladeshi) workers,' said the Islamist politician.

  

On Sunday, more than 300 Bangladeshi cleaners staged a sit-in before the Ministry of Education's headquarters to protest against non-payment of wages.

  

The workers, who work mostly for schools, were protesting as they have not received their meagre salaries — of no more than KD 25 per month — for more than five months. A few of them haven't received their salaries for the last 10 months.

  

An official at the Ministry of Education said the ministry is seeking to transfer their residencies to the ministry so that they could receive their salaries directly from the ministry.

  

The protesters blamed the company that recruited them for not caring about their living conditions, as nearly twenty persons are crammed in one room.

  

Some 2,00,000 Bangladeshis work in Kuwait, mostly as cleaners and in other low-paid jobs.

 

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