By geoffrey bew

THE Bangladesh government yesterday said it would not stand in the way of Bahrain’s decision to stop issuing visas to its nationals.

The news of the ban has sent shockwaves through the more than 90,000-strong Bangladeshi community in Bahrain, say officials.

“Everybody is very shocked,” Bangladeshi Embassy Charge d’Affaires Saiful Islam told the GDN.

“People have been calling and coming to us to ask what their fate will be. They are very frustrated.”

The embassy last night held an emergency meeting with more than 30 community leaders to discuss the situation.

“We called all the Bangladeshi community leaders to the meeting to tell them to pass on the message to people to abide by the rules and regulations of Bahrain and not take the law into their hands,” said Mr Islam.

“If anybody has any problem they should go to the police.”

He said officials were still waiting for written confirmation of the new policy from the government and whether people already here would have their residence permits renewed.

However, Mr Islam said if either rule was enforced the embassy would have no choice but to accept them.

“We have not received any instruction in that regard,” Mr Islam said of news that people living here whose permits expire will not be renewed.

“If the government takes that decision we will have to respect their decision and the rules of Bahrain.”

Mr Islam said the embassy has been inundated with calls from its people worried about their status in Bahrain following the government’s decision.

He said workers and residents had phoned and visited the embassy in Mahooz seeking clarification on news of the ban.

Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa issued the directive late on Monday night.

He took the action in response to a group of MPs who called for a ban on Bangladeshi workers following the death of Bahraini Mohammed Jassim Dossary.

The 38-year-old was allegedly killed with a grinder during an attack sparked by an argument with a Bangladeshi mechanic at a workshop in Hamad Town on Friday.

Mr Islam does not believe crime is rife within the Bangladesh community, relative to the size of its population, which is the second largest in Bahrain.

“In the recent past there has been some crime but if you look at the last 10 years it was low,” he said.

“It could happen that in the next five years it will be the same.

“Those crimes committed were individual mistakes.”

Some members of the community said that the decision would mean that they would now have to leave a country they have made their second home.

“I always honour the decision of the host country and have led a lawful life in Bahrain,” said Nexus Financing Services authorised consultant Mohammed Ghulam Rabbani.

“With all my respect and love for Bahrain, I would request the authorities to reconsider their decision on humanitarian grounds.

“I have been here for almost 13 years and renewed my visa only a couple of months earlier.

“So, according to the ban, my visa will not be renewed which means I will have to leave my home of nearly 15 years,” said the 49-year-old Bangladeshi.

“I have tried to give my best to this country and this is what I get in return because of one person’s deed – a terribly unfair situation.

“This murder is appalling and has made every Bangladeshi ashamed, but the incident should not be allowed to affect the lives of thousands of innocent people in Bahrain.

“Mr Rabbani’s wife and 15-year-old son are Bahrain residents, though they are now on vacation in Bangladesh.

Dr Abir Chaudhury, who works as a general physician at the Shifa Al Jazeera Medical Centre, said that the decision would leave his personal life and career in jeopardy.

“No matter whichever country we are in, we need to respect the laws there,” said the 40-year-old.

“We feel comfortable living in Bahrain and in the nearly four years I have been here with my wife, it turned out to be like our home.

“As a doctor, I am serving all nationalities, including Bahrainis

“The decision is very unfortunate and we call on the authorities to reconsider.

“I have to renew my visa within a year, while my wife, who works as a staff nurse at the Salmaniya Medical Complex, needs to have hers renewed a month or so after mine.

“So if mine will not get renewed then I will have to leave with my wife.

“We had long-term plans to work in Bahrain and all of this has been shattered, particularly since I have a car loan and other obligations here.”