Bangladeshi undocumented workers requested to regularise visa in Maldives

Bangladesh mission in Maldives has urged undocumented expatriate Bangladeshi workers, currently residing there, to apply for regularising their visas and work permits as the Islands has decided to legalise unauthorised Bangladeshi nationals.

The Bangladesh High Commission in Male issued an urgent notice on Saturday urging undocumented Bangladeshi workers to collect their visas and work permits as soon as possible.

Maldives' Economic Development Ministry has begun the process of regularisation of visas and work permits of undocumented expatriate Bangladeshis currently residing there, said the notice.

The Bangladesh mission warned that Bangladeshi expatriate workers who fail to validate their visa and work permit within the stipulated timeframe, fixed by the Maldivian government, would face stern punishment as per the law of the islands.

"Your (undocumented Bangladeshi national) current local employer needs to apply to Maldives' Economic Development Ministry for regularisation," the notice gave the direction.

Bangladeshi Expatriate workers can contact the Maldives' Economic Development Ministry through phone number 1500, email to xpat@1500help.mv, and Bangladesh High Commission in Male over phone no- 3320859 or Viber no 7616636 during office hours for any assistance in this regard, it added.

Currently, it is roughly estimated that more than 50,000 Bangladeshi workers have been working in Maldives without proper documents.