bdnews24.com :
Several Bangladeshi workers without valid documents have been arrested in the Maldives, local media reports.
Witnesses said at least 20 of them were arrested from a local market in Male on Thursday, reported Haveeru Online.
An immigration official told Haveeru the arrests followed a crackdown on undocumented migrant workers.
But the country’s immigration department did not specify how many Bangladeshi expatriates had been were arrested on Thursday morning.
According to the country’s law, only Maldivians are allowed to work in the local markets. But many expatriate workers are employed there, the report said. It said the undocumented migrants would be first taken to a special centre in Male’s Hulhumale and then deported.
The Maldives government had earlier this month imposed a fine of MVR 10,000 (TK 51,600) on businesses employing expatriates as cashiers. So far, 108 firms have been fined nearly MVR 1.1 million, according to the immigration department, said the Haveeru report.
The government, in April, had declared illegal the employment of any expatriate as cashiers in shops, cafés, and restaurants.
The immigration department had also stopped approving the quota for expatriates. But, last week, it halted the crackdown on business establishments.
Several Bangladeshi workers without valid documents have been arrested in the Maldives, local media reports.
Witnesses said at least 20 of them were arrested from a local market in Male on Thursday, reported Haveeru Online.
An immigration official told Haveeru the arrests followed a crackdown on undocumented migrant workers.
But the country’s immigration department did not specify how many Bangladeshi expatriates had been were arrested on Thursday morning.
According to the country’s law, only Maldivians are allowed to work in the local markets. But many expatriate workers are employed there, the report said. It said the undocumented migrants would be first taken to a special centre in Male’s Hulhumale and then deported.
The Maldives government had earlier this month imposed a fine of MVR 10,000 (TK 51,600) on businesses employing expatriates as cashiers. So far, 108 firms have been fined nearly MVR 1.1 million, according to the immigration department, said the Haveeru report.
The government, in April, had declared illegal the employment of any expatriate as cashiers in shops, cafés, and restaurants.
The immigration department had also stopped approving the quota for expatriates. But, last week, it halted the crackdown on business establishments.
