Recruiters demand ‘labour fare’ for migrant workers 

Manpower recruiters on Thursday demanded that the government introduce a "labour fare" for migrant workers amid rising airfares for flights to the Middle Eastern countries. 

At a human chain in front of the National Press Club, they made a request to operate additional flights to the destinations. 

The recruiting agencies also demanded punishment to those responsible for illogical hikes in airfares for the routes. 

"Airfares for major destinations, including Saudi Arabia, have illogically increased two or three times, putting returnee migrants in big financial trouble," said Tipu Sultan, a recruiter.

The airfare, which was between Tk30,000 and Tk40,000, is now between Tk70,000 and Tk95,000, he added. 

At present, there is a demand for sending more than 5,000 expatriate workers to different countries of the Middle East a day, but it is now possible to send only 3,000, the recruiters said. 

In neighbouring India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka, airfares for Middle Eastern countries are between Tk20,000 and Tk30,000, but a Bangladeshi passenger needs to spend Tk70,000-Tk95,000 for the flights to the routes, they noted.

They also pressed for forming a regulatory board immediately to address the issue.

Around 40,000-50,000 Middle-East bound migrant workers are suffering to fly to their destinations due to a ticket crisis and high ticket prices, according to manpower recruiters.   

The major airlines, who are operating flights to Middle Eastern routes, are Biman, US Bangla, Saudia, Emirates, flydubai, Etihad and Air Arabia.

A lower number of flights, travel restrictions, a poor number of return-ticket holders and thin movement of tourists, and obligation for maintaining standard operating procedures are said to have increased operating costs, eventually causing a hike in ticket prices.