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Bangladeshi migrants who have remained stranded at different camps in Kuwait for deportation under a general amnesty are leading miserable lives because of inadequate food and accommodation.
In a video massage, they have requested the government to take immediate steps to bring them back.
The migrant workers said they had been staying in the camps for the last two weeks, but the authorities concerned did give them any kind of assurance about their return to home.
Since April 11, about 4,500 Bangladeshi workers who applied to return home under the amnesty have been kept at different makeshift labour camps.
Conditions in these camps are unhygienic where the workers are living as slaves. The workers are facing the risk of COVID-19 exposure, some workers and insiders said.
Most of these Bangladeshi migrants are staying atmakeshift labour camps in Manggab, Chebdi and Abdali areas in Kuwait City, said workers.
They said the government of Kuwaitassured them that the workers who have no valid documents can go back their home country without any harassment during the amnesty period.So, they communicated with the Bangladesh embassy. Embassy officials assured them that they will arrange flights within two or three days. But the officials have yet to communicate with them, they claimed.
Moreover, they were not provided with proper accommodation and food. Even they were not getting necessary food for Sehri and Iftar, a migrant said in a video to social media.
Meanwhile, some 126 Bangladeshi workers were brought back home from Kuwait on April 27and 121 workers on April 28last.
Officials at the Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry saidthe remaining workers would also be brought back home gradually.
Kuwait announced general amnesty for undocumented foreign workers on April 1 as part of preventive measures for coronavirus pandemic. The amnesty period ended on April 30.
As per the announcement, the Kuwait government will bear all expenses including airfare for returning workers. Besides, the workers also will get chance to go back to the country with jobs later.
Then the Kuwait authorities said workers will have to stay in a particular placefor sometimes before leaving the country. The Kuwait government will make all arrangements including food and accommodation during the period.
Shariful Islam Hasan, head of BRAC's migration programme, said the workers have communicated with them and told them about their sufferings.
"We have come to know about the general amnesty, announced by the Kuwait government. But it is not easy tobring back a large number of workers home quickly as flight operation has remained suspended."
So, the Bangladesh embassy should keep communication with the workers and extend support, Mr Hasan observed.
Since 1976, more than 600,000 Bangladeshi workers went to Kuwait, according to the data available from Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training.