After two months of agony and uncertainty, two Indian workers left for their homes in India, thanks to the timely efforts by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA). The LMRA helped Dipu Dev and Mustafa Mohammed secure their \u2018eligible\u2019 air tickets from the sponsor. The workers flew back to India (Trivandrum) last night.<\/p>\n
Workers at a garage in Bahrain, the duo had no money for food or a place to sleep and had to visit the Indian Embassy many a times to get assistance in getting back their passports from the sponsor.<\/p>\n
DT had earlier reported that Mustafa\u2019s visa was renewed against his will while Dipu\u2019s visa was not renewed and he was illegal in the country. The men had said that they did not want to work “as the employer was highly abusive and rigid.”<\/p>\n
DT had highlighted the plight of the workers to LMRA, subsequent to which its top official directed his office to hasten the process of procuring tickets for them.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were made to wait at the embassy gate for almost four hours, while the labour official attended to many other cases, personal phone calls and her regular tea break,” said one of the men. He could not get to GDNPR that day as the letter was given very late.<\/p>\n
Embassy finally informed the men that they had \u2018failed in tracing the sponsor\u2019 and left Mustafa to find his way back home, while it issued a letter to GDNPR for Dipu\u2019s exit.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were shattered at the way our embassy officials treated us, but the local officials at GDNPR and LMRA were \u2018kind and understanding\u2019,\u201d said Dipu.<\/p>\n
DT had raised the concern to Embassy\u2019s First Secretary Nirmal Kumar Chawdhary who assured that his door was open to any Indian in the country. Mr Chawdhary instructed his office to contact Mustafa regarding the ticket.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, LMRA has stepped in and resolved the issue of tickets for both the men.<\/p>\n
Responding to the situation, LMRA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ausamah Al Absi said the authority\u2019s scope does not cover settlement of \u2018labour disputes\u2019.<\/p>\n
He observed that upon intimation of the case, LMRA had contacted the sponsor regarding the cancellation of the permits and cost of the tickets \u2013 \u2018both of which he complied with, within 24 hours\u2019.<\/p>\n
Earlier, in an Open House, Ambassador Dr Mohan Kumar had instructed his office to do a \u2018fast track\u2019 operation of the legalities regarding this case in the court. He also referred the men to embassy\u2019s lawyer Maha Jaber, however, the office failed to carry on the instructions.<\/p>\n
The men said that the officials refused to even entertain their calls and only kept referring them to the lawyer \u2013 who kept postponing the matter and finally told them not to get back until they were called.<\/p>\n
Apparently the sponsor who met the men at GDNPR was angry at them and threatened to \u2018blacklist\u2019 them and refused to pay their pending one month\u2019s salary.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
After two months of agony and uncertainty, two Indian workers left for their homes in India, thanks to the timely efforts by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA). The LMRA helped Dipu Dev and Mustafa Mohammed secure their \u2018eligible\u2019 air … Continue reading