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30,000 workers return home from Saudi Arabia

Belal Hossain Biplob
Around 30,000 of 7.5 lakh Bangladeshi workers who received general amnesty from Saudi Arabia returned home by November, an official said.
"They were staying in the kingdom illegally, without any valid document," Nazmul Islam, consul general of Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah, told The Daily Star by phone recently.
More than 7.5 lakh Bangladeshis took advantage of the amnesty and 30,000 workers of them returned home by receiving "out-passes".
"The Bangladeshis entered the Saudi Arabia illegally at different times and could not return home earlier as they did not have any document," he said.
The Saudi law-enforcers let the illegal workers with air tickets leave the kingdom, Islam said.
Legalisation scope for the illegal expatriates is limited. The Saudi government wants to rearrange the labour market, flushing out the undocumented foreigners.
I lowever, many illegal expatriate workers, who signed up for the amnesty system, will be able to complete the legalisation process by paying fines.
Islam advised the Bangladeshis who registered for amnesty to complete the process to avoid financial punishment or incarceration. In some cases, the labour law violators could face up to two years in jail or pay 2,000 riyals in fines, or both.
Saudi security officials have launched massive raids to find and arrest the illegal expatriates since the expity of a seven-month amnesty on November 3.
It deported more than 1.25 lakh foreigners of different nationalities that had been staying illegally in the kingdom.
Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Secretary Zafar Ahmed Khan said they were not concerned over the Saudi government' action and welcomed the Saudis' plan.
"Now, there will be a safe working environment for our people following the Saudi government's new labour policy. The rights of Bangladeshis will be better protected."
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The Saudi government last May announced the amnesty until July 4 and later extended it to November 3.
The government would continue to carry out raids until all illegal workers are deported, said Maj Gen Sulaiman Al-Yahya, director general at the Saudi Passport Directorate.
"The crackdowns will go on to find and locate those who are in violation of residency and labour regulations. There is no deadline for this," Saudi Gazette reported last week quoting Al-Yahya.