More Bangladeshis go home

WITH only small bags of luggage, dashed hopes and about US$240, a third group of 68 Bangladeshi workers recruited to work at the Ramatex Textile Factory were deported yesterday.

They follow a larger group of 141 Bangladeshi workers who left on Monday and the first group of 30 who were sent home on Sunday. The factory says it put a stop to their work permit applications when it discovered that they were unskilled.By the end of today, all of the 372 Bangladeshis, who came to Namibia desperate to earn money to ease the plight of their families back home, should have left the country.The factory has paid them for their work to date and an additional month’s salary of US$120 as compensation.All of the Bangladeshis are poor.Most of the workers The Namibian spoke to said they would go back to being unemployed after selling most of their meagre belongings to raise the US$3 500 needed to secure work in Namibia.They hope to find work in the agricultural sector once they are home.The first group of about 66 Bangladeshis, who have worked in Namibia for a year, have been spared deportation for now.They are scheduled to appear in court on Friday to fight a case of unfair dismissal.They were fired on the spot on August 3 for alleged poor work performance.The factory cancelled their work permits immediately after their services were terminated.A last-minute High Court reprieve gave them the right to stay in the country to fight their case.The men insist that they are skilled workers, unlike their countrymen who are being deported.Senior Factory Manager Khayhiang Lim said on Sunday that the probation period of the group of 66 had to be extended from three to six months.She claimed they were underperforming.Lim said the matter had been reported to the Bay Eastern Agency, which recruited the 66, but that agents had refused to come to Namibia to iron out the problem.Lim said the factory was prepared to pay for their return home.On Friday, the Namibian Workers’ Union of Namibia said the 66 men faced an immediate humanitarian crisis because they had spent most of what they earned to pay their legal costs.The NUNW has appealed to international humanitarian agencies for assistance, saying the court case would be of major significance in highlighting alleged violations of the Labour Law at the factory.To date the union has had to fork out N$46 000 for their legal aid.They will have to pay another N$25 000 to pursue the matter this week.The case was scheduled to proceed a week ago, but a postponement was granted at the request of the defence’s legal team.The workers believe the company is trying to prolong the case in an attempt to force them out of the country.A spokesperson for the group claimed the factory was refusing to pay their accommodation and food at the Farida Hillcrest Hotel despite a High Court ruling that they do so.Twenty-one of the group are married with children, while many of the single men also have children to support.The factory says it put a stop to their work permit applications when it discovered that they were unskilled.By the end of today, all of the 372 Bangladeshis, who came to Namibia desperate to earn money to ease the plight of their families back home, should have left the country.The factory has paid them for their work to date and an additional month’s salary of US$120 as compensation.All of the Bangladeshis are poor.Most of the workers The Namibian spoke to said they would go back to being unemployed after selling most of their meagre belongings to raise the US$3 500 needed to secure work in Namibia.They hope to find work in the agricultural sector once they are home.The first group of about 66 Bangladeshis, who have worked in Namibia for a year, have been spared deportation for now.They are scheduled to appear in court on Friday to fight a case of unfair dismissal.They were fired on the spot on August 3 for alleged poor work performance.The factory cancelled their work permits immediately after their services were terminated.A last-minute High Court reprieve gave them the right to stay in the country to fight their case.The men insist that they are skilled workers, unlike their countrymen who are being deported.Senior Factory Manager Khayhiang Lim said on Sunday that the probation period of the group of 66 had to be extended from three to six months.She claimed they were underperforming.Lim said the matter had been reported to the Bay Eastern Agency, which recruited the 66, but that agents had refused to come to Namibia to iron out the problem.Lim said the factory was prepared to pay for their return home.On Friday, the Namibian Workers’ Union of Namibia said the 66 men faced an immediate humanitarian crisis because they had spent most of what they earned to pay their legal costs.The NUNW has appealed to international humanitarian agencies for assistance, saying the court case would be of major significance in highlighting alleged violations of the Labour Law at the factory.To date the union has had to fork out N$46 000 for their legal aid.They will have to pay another N$25 000 to pursue the matter this week.The case was scheduled to proceed a week ago, but a postponement was granted at the request of the defence’s legal team.The workers believe the company is trying to prolong the case in an attempt to force them out of the country.A spokesperson for the group claimed the factory was refusing to pay their accommodation and food at the Farida Hillcrest Hotel despite a High Court ruling that they do so.Twenty-one of the group are married with children, while many of the single men also have children to support.