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DHAKA: The government is working to extend the validity of iqamas (residency permits) for Bangladeshis living in Saudi Arabia, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam has said.
She made the remarks on Friday morning after receiving the body of Shahed Ahmed, a Bangladeshi national killed in a Houthi attack at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
After the body was handed over, Shama Obaed said the bodies of 11 Bangladeshis killed in the Middle East conflict over the past six months had been brought back to Bangladesh, while efforts were underway to repatriate the remaining bodies. She added that government assistance would be provided to Shahed Ahmed’s family soon.
Responding to journalists’ questions about Bangladeshis who had been beheaded in Saudi Arabia, the state minister said details could be provided once the Saudi authorities handed over copies of the verdicts.
She also said the government was working to extend the validity of iqamas for Bangladeshi expatriates employed in Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment said the deceased’s family received immediate financial assistance through the Wage Earners’ Welfare Board. The assistance included Tk 35,000 for burial and transportation expenses and a special grant of Tk 50,000 because he had tragically lost his life in the conflict.
In addition, the deceased worker’s employer, Saad Al-Essa Contracting Company, deposited 27,395.62 Saudi riyals, equivalent to approximately Tk 9 lakh, into the account of the Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh. The amount represents his outstanding salary, allowances and service benefits. The money will soon be formally handed over to his family through the Wage Earners’ Welfare Board.
The family may also receive an additional Tk 3 lakh, subject to the deceased worker having a BMET card or valid identification document. In addition, the family may be eligible for a further Tk 10 lakh in insurance benefits, subject to the applicable insurance coverage.
