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The plight of Bangladeshis with relatives in the Gulf at war
The Arab states in the Gulf region, which are home to millions of Asian workers, are the main targets of Iranian attacks. In Bangladesh some families are unable to contact their relatives, unable to leave because of flight cancellations, while Arab countries are trying to be flexible with visas and tax rules.
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Dhaka (AsiaNews) – “I can’t contact my husband in Kuwait. There was a missile attack near their workplace on 5 March. A Bengali worker, Zahed Hossain, was killed. We are extremely worried,” said Priyanti Rozario, a Catholic.
Her words reflect the fear now shared by thousands of Bangladeshi families separated from their loved ones working in the Middle East.
The Gulf Arab monarchies are home to large numbers of foreign workers, and continue to be the target of waves of attacks as a result of the widening war between Israel, the United States, and Iran.
Iranian missiles and drones have struck bases and infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Iraq.
Despite propaganda by Western influencers living in these countries, governments have asked people to stay home, while air travel has been reduced, leaving migrant workers and their families in a state of great uncertainty.
For families like Priyanti Rozario's, every day without news increases the fear that their loved ones may never return home, casualties of this sudden war.
With five million workers, Bangladesh has one of the world's largest migrant communities in the Gulf and the Middle East, employed primarily in construction, domestic work, transportation, and industry.
According to official data, seven Bangladeshi migrants have lost their lives so far: one in Bahrain, Dubai, Kuwait, and Iraq, and three in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, for weeks, families back home have been living in anguish, waiting for a phone call that may never arrive.
Eid al-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of Ramadan, traditionally a time of joy and reunion, is marred by anxiety this year. Currently, new workers are not allowed to enter the region, while those wishing to return home for Eid are unable to travel.
The United Arab Emirates is proposing to maintain the tax regime unchanged for those who intend to leave the country for a longer period before they return.
However, since 28 February, hundreds of flights have been cancelled. Nearly 40,000 workers are unable to reach their workplaces, jeopardising their contracts and visa requirements.
About 67 per cent of Bangladeshi migrants work in Saudi Arabia.
Data from Bangladesh’s Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) confirms the country's dependence on the Gulf: in January alone, 95,092 people moved to the region, including 65,410 to Saudi Arabia, 5,912 to Qatar, and 2,610 to Kuwait. In February, the number dropped to 65,629, while in the first 17 days of March, it further decreased to 33,805.
Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates have extended expired entry visas by one month.
Bangladesh's Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment issued instructions to workers with expired visas, encouraging them to contact their employers or apply for document renewals online, despite the highly volatile situation.
According to Gulf states, work has not completely halted, although some construction sites and production facilities have been temporarily closed.
Recruitment agencies have already reported significant economic losses, but some experts say that if the conflict were to continue, it would have serious consequences for the labour market.
Even if a fraction – say, a fifth – of the more than five million migrants were forced to return, Bangladesh would face an unprecedented reintegration crisis.
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