The government has finalised the list of repatriated workers from Libya as it prepares to distribute compensation to them on July 23, the expatriates' welfare minister has said.
'A total of 36,500 returnees will be given compensation,' Khandker Mosharraf Hossain told reporters on Sunday at the Secretariat.
'Of them, expatriate workers of Noakhali district top the list with 2,186, followed by Tangail with 239 workers,' he said.
The ministry and the International Organisation for Migration signed a deal on June 14 in this regard, according to which the IOM will give money for the rehabilitation of the returnees, whom it helped return home earlier.
Earlier in the day, the minister inaugurated 'Rehabilitation Loan' programme of the Expatriate Welfare Bank on the 70th day of its founding. The bank has already started disbursing immigration loans.
The specialised bank is lending money at 12 per cent interest, holding property as mortgage against the loans.
Mosharraf also warned those who were trying to go to Malaysia illegally to avail of the advantage of getting regularised there on either student or tourist visas.
Asked why the government was not taking action against the recruiting agencies involved in such activities, he cited lack of specific allegations against them as the reason.
The process of legalising 300,000 Bangladeshis in Malaysia through renewal of their expired visas will begin on August 1, instead of July 11 as declared by the minister earlier.
To an allegation that the Malaysian government was charging higher fees than what was determined, Mosharraf said a deal was signed to do the job free of cost. 'We'll look into it,' he assured.
Source : New Age
