MP's human trafficking scam: Manpower export to Kuwait may be affected

Manpower export to Kuwait is likely to face a blow as a consequence of the negative impact of human trafficking scam of independent lawmaker Shahidul Islam.

Mr Islam, who was arrested on charge of human trafficking and money laundering, is now in Kuwaiti jail.

"This incident will create negative impact on manpower recruitment there," foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said recently, expressing concern over the issue.

However, he said that the foreign ministry has requested the Kuwait Embassy here to make full efforts to minimize the adverse impact.

Talking to the FE, the outgoing Bangladeshi Ambassador in Kuwait, Abul Kalam admitted that the incident would affect the recruitment of Bangladeshis. But the level of damage cannot be ascertained now, he added.

There are nearly 0.4 million Bangladeshi workers in Kuwait right now. Since January last, over 6,000 of them left the country following their termination. Officials said many more would face deportation due to the economic downfall in the Gulf.

However, the Bangladeshi Ambassador said that the situation is not as bleak as presented by many.

There is a pressure from political groups for reduction of foreign manpower, but the government of Kuwait is yet to take any decision in this regard.

The Kuwait government is surprisingly not responsive to the Bangladesh government's query about the whereabouts of the lawmaker, who was arrested in the first week of June.

"We have sent letters to the Kuwait government, but they are yet to respond," Mr Momen said.

The Bangladeshi Ambassador in Kuwait said that the Embassy and the foreign ministry sent note verbal to the Kuwait government, but they did not reply.

"Now we are waiting as it is unfair to write to them again. For some reasons, they are delaying the response. May be they want to complete the investigation first," he explained.

Asked why there was a notion in a section of media that he himself might be interrogated by the Kuwait authorities in connection with Shahidul's scam, the Ambassador said that he had no clue about it." May be it was done by my enemies."

Mr. Shahidul's scam ruffled many a feathers in Kuwait and names of two Kuwaiti lawmakers and an army Major General were surfaced during the investigations.

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