Workers sent back by UAE for July protests call off demo issuing 10-day ultimatum
Workers sent back by the United Arab Emirates for protesting during the July uprising suspended their protest with a 10-day ultimatum.
Khaled Saifullah, a member of the expatriate delegation, confirmed that they will launch a more intense protest if their demands are not met within the given timeframe, after leaving the office of Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus around 2:30pm today (10 February).
He said, "A six-member delegation from our group visited the chief adviser's office on the initiative of the DC of Ramna Zone. There, the chief adviser's assistant personal secretary, Shabbir Ahmed, spoke with us. The chief adviser is scheduled to go to Dubai on 12 February and assured us that he would discuss our demands with him today."
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Khaled Saifullah further added, "Moreover, he will talk to the relevant authorities at the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare as to why they have not yet engaged with us on this issue. If necessary, the chief adviser's office will issue directives."
"Since they have requested time from us, we are suspending our movement for the next 10 days. If our demands are not fulfilled within this period, we will announce a more rigorous program," he added.
Around noon, the DC of Ramna Zone, along with six representatives of the expatriates, went to the chief adviser's office in Jamuna."
Earlier in the morning the workers demonstrated pushing for three demands in Dhaka.
The demonstrators, mostly returnees from the UAE and other countries, occupied the road in front of the InterContinental Hotel last around 10:30am, after they were stopped by police from going to the chief adviser's residence.
The protest caused significant traffic congestion on the Banglamotor-Shahbagh stretch of the busy road road.
The protesters said they would continue their demonstration until their representatives met with the chief adviser or an adviser to address them, as this is one of their key demands.
They also called for the announcement of financial assistance along with a comprehensive rehabilitation plan for those affected. Additionally, they urge the government to take immediate and effective measures to protect the rights of migrant workers.
Khalid Saifullah, a UAE returnee leading the movement, said, "We have been fighting for our rightful demands for a long time. On 7 February 2025, at a press conference held at the National Press Club, we issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the current interim government to fulfil our demands swiftly."
However, he expressed disappointment that no effective action has been taken so far.
"Despite repeated assurances, neither the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment nor Adviser Asif Nazrul has taken any effective initiative. The suffering of migrant workers has reached its peak, yet the government has not provided any solution," he added.
