One Saudi returnee found pregnant, another mentally unstable

A woman who went to Saudi Arabia as a domestic worker has returned home pregnant. The woman, who was physically and sexually abused after being passed through four different employers, is currently staying at a BRAC learning centre in Ashkona of Dhaka. She reported receiving no wages, no food and enduring only torture during her time working in Saudi Arabia.

The woman went to Saudi Arabia through a broker in 2024. Initially placed in an office, she was subsequently sent to work in one house after another. Due to language barriers, she could not communicate with anyone. Driven by hunger, she even scavenged food from dustbins. Through a mobile app, she learned that three months of her wages had already been paid to her recruiter, but she received nothing.

At one point, she fled to Medina, worked part-time and later surrendered to police in Mecca. While in police custody, she discovered she was pregnant. She was repatriated to the country in an ill condition. Shariful Islam Hasan, assistant director of BRAC's migration programme, said there is no specific protocol for repatriated women, which poses a serious problem.

Meanwhile, another woman who returned from Saudi Arabia 13 days ago in a mentally unstable state could not be recognised by relatives due to lack of passport and identification documents. Later, with police and BRAC intervention, her identity was verified and she was handed over to her family.

Human rights activists believe it is crucial to ensure the safety of female workers going abroad, stop the broker syndicates, and guarantee rehabilitation and legal assistance upon their return.