Bangladeshi's in The story begins as follows : A year back Mohsen paid few hundred thousand taka which could be two year of his gross salaries and signed an unenforceable and revocable contract that stipulated his basic salary as 50 dinar. This contract was endorsed by the labour wing in the Untrained, unskilled Mohsen, like many who have matric, HSC or BA degree of which the standard is so useless that can not make them communicate in the new world save understand the world that about to evolve around them. Reluctant to study or go for a training, many of them could have gone for further regular or vocational study before seeking an employment and embarking on to this journey. As he landed he could only realize that how hot the weather is but the new euphoria he confirmed to his mom and dad on a colourful letter pad, made his parents also to look for better days ahead. The precious assets they have sold or mortgaged now will be recovered gradually, a hope started nesting. His sister and younger brother started thinking differently. Mohsen was also included in the multibillion dollar remittance projection along with his mates by the economists and the ERD officials, back home. On the first day of his office in this strange land he was made to sign in a second contract, written in Arabic – greek to him, where it says his basic salary is 20 dinars. However, hope continued. Few months past, he did not write to his parents and last four months he did not get his salaries. He was paid for first few months with deductions for visa and other fees, he was still unaware what was awaiting him. Accommodation where he could barely lie down, AC do not work or not there when the temperature is 45 degree to more than 50 degree Celsius with minimum humidity and dusty wind. The fan produces more noise then what it should do. Mohsen think of his village but he feels like a caged bird. Like all mornings during last seven months, he is picked up early morning, before 'subho sadek' and dropped at his location of work to clean the street and collect the litters. He has to work under his unyielding supervisor's frequent checks. Late morning temperature when started soaring but still at its moderate 35 degree he gets thirsty, though he is hungry as he could not buy rice but managed only some dry bread for his dinner. He covers his head, nose and mouth with the gamsa to avoid direct scorching heat. He does not want to spent from few dinars he managed to save by working here and there cleaning garbage from the shop, mopping stairs at private houses, cleaning cars etc. he goes to the small grocery shop and starts cleaning before he is asked. It did not work, he moves to the red traffic signal and goes around the lane pretend cleaning, what he had done while ago. Some one offered him coins but he continues until the signal is green. Thus he turned to a beggar. His parents should be ashamed knowing clearly what their son is doing to feed himself, for a mere sustenance. He become a man not known to him.
Heat, hunger, destitution and uncertainty goes unabated. Few of his mates went to the embassy to explain their plight and to look for their assistance, with difficulties they made to the office but failed to encourage the official or were spoken with a modest of speech only. In search of food and mere survival, many went out to make something; while few succeeded, majority were hopelessly awaited for God's help only. While working here and there some were caught by the police and was detained. Few worked labouriously whole month only to be cheated at the end.
Their accommodation stinks not of their sweat only but of the uneatables gathered and prepared around. The neighborhood is divorced from what is around. Few desperate enough, 'should speak to the officials', went to the office and tries to communicate their inhuman living conditions but in vein. They were even threatened with deportation, all of them could not pay their debt yet. What option is left, not known. Crossing his fingers under his head Mohsen try to look beyond the noisy fan lying on the floor in a stinky and unhealthy environment (he got used to) but can not think what to think. His parents, his brother and sister, no, he is much worried about himself now. He is having high fever and diarrhea, perhaps because of eating from expired canned food, what was given to him free. He has no medical facility available and can't afford medicine of his own - and thus Mohsen's new life and misery unfolds by every passing days, tears roll down on the floor from the eyes gone far deeper. His consciousness does not lead him to think -how come being one of world's wealthiest country his salaries are not paid for months, he is from the same faith yet his brothers overlook his plight and sufferings, how the society remain unmindful of the causes, how the media do not help raise the awareness among the common people on the ground of humanity. How the legal system do not impact on the wrong doing of few employers. Where is the World Human Rights organizations, what ILO thinks of this kind of labour exploitations. Should all of them including Amnesty International only focus on the so called war against terrorism or anything that leads there. Mohsen notices smokes coming through the windows and door, could hear shouting, pelting, weak and exhausted Mohsen hear running foot steps than when he gets to his sense discovered himself in a bus, hands are twisted behind. He quickly remember his small savings left in the cartoon in his room, he is wearing a lungi and an old T-shirt, his sleepers are gone and nothing in his pocket, except the ID card. And this is how he lands where only a year ago he boarded a plane with much hope and dream- This story synonym the plight of poor job seekers in the Middle East, Whom do we should blame - the Kuwaitis, the Saudis, Bahrainis, Emirati's or Qatari's ? I would blame first the Labour Wing that endorses the contracts for those kind of unscrupulous employers whose contract is easily revoked and violated. Second the Manpower Authority who endorses the visa without any recourse to its unenforceability, third and not the last the Head of our government and the Attorney General (who seem to be free now) who, seeing and hearing all these still do not formulate a system and enact a legal mechanisms to help and rescue. |
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