Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said that 28,849 expatriate Bangladeshis can return home in the next ‘few weeks’, mostly from the Middle Eastern countries.
“We are assuming that they will have to return. We are prepared for that,” he said in a video message after an inter-ministerial meeting on Wednesday.
The meeting between the foreign, home, expatriate welfare, health and other relevant ministries was the fifth of its kind after the coronavirus pandemic that left many Bangladeshis abroad jobless.
Middle-eastern countries mostly Kuwait, UAE, Saudia Arabia, Oman, Jordan and South Asian country Maldives also want to send back the undocumented Bangladeshis and those who were in prison.
The foreign minister said 3,695 such expatriates so far returned home from those countries.
He, however, urged those countries not to make jobless to those who are working there legally.
“Keep them at least for six weeks,” he said, adding that Bangladesh also proposed a ‘COVID-19 respond recovery fund’ at the international level to address those challenges.
“We all together can make the fund. Bangladesh can contribute to that,” he said.
He, however, said Bangladesh must take back its citizens if any country wants to return.
“We have created a fund of Tk200 crore for them so that they can start work by taking loans once they return.”
He said they have arranged quarantine facilities if anyone comes without coronavirus free certificate.
“We will bring them back all. There is no doubt,” he asserted as Middle-eastern countries are pushing the government to take back its citizens.
“We have already brought back 3695. A large number of them are from the middle-east countries as they freed them from jails. We accepted them. We also brought back to those who were in Umrah Hajj.”
The foreign ministry also brought back Bangladeshis stranded in India due to lockdown. Process is underway to bring back more from London and the United States.
“So far we have brought back 2,853 stared Bangladeshis”.
He also urged countries not to keep jobless Bangladeshis in starvation.
“If anybody faces food problems, please help them. We are also sending foods,” he said, citing examples of sending food to Maldives.
In Kuwait 4,500 Bangladeshis are kept in a camp after giving amnesty for illegal staying there.
“There is no reason for us not to receive them. Once airlines start, they can come. If the Kuwait government sends them on its own arrangement, they can send. We will receive,” the foreign minister said.
He said 400 will come from Maldives on Thursday.
Quoting the President of Maldives he said 1500 Bangladeshis will return from there. “We will receive them.”
“Saudi Arabia conveyed that 4,262 expatriates can come. They didn’t confirm that yet. Oman gave a number of 1000.”
Dr Momen requested the family members of those who died abroad due to coronavirus not to expect the bodies. “They (host countries) said they would bury them there since its not possible to send the bodies at this time of crisis.
“Even if you bring the bodies back, you will not be able to open the box.”
The foreign minister, however, asked countries to be empathized to the expatriates who are working there.
“They are contributing to the development of both countries. Your country is developing because of their hard works and we are developing because of their hard earned money. No one should die of starvation,” he said.
