Guests and workers during the Bangladesh Day celebrations in Nadi on Sunday, May 25

By SHALENDRA PRASAD 

Bangladeshi migrant workers who are employed in various fields of work around the greater Nadi area and the Western Division of Fiji came out in large numbers to celebrate the special Bangladesh Day on Sunday, May 25.

The special gathering was organised at the Bluelight Village Hotel in Nadi by a leading recruitment, migration and employment agency named Anchor Care Migration and Recruitment which is based in Adelaide, Australia with a global network of customers across different continents.

Anchor Care Migration and Recruitment chief executive officer Mohammad Masudur Rahman.

“The core intention of this special day was to give a platform to the migrant workers from Bangladesh an opportunity to celebrate a day together with joy and share their experiences with each other,” Anchor Care Migration and Recruitment chief executive officer Mohammad Masudur Rahman said.

“At the same time workers had the freedom to express their concerns to work closely with their employers and vice versa for better working conditions and agreed hours of work leaving no room for exploitation,” Mr Rahman added.

“We have taken notes to improve our services for all and make Fiji a sustainable working environment and a long-term ally as far as filling the gap in the labour market the right and legal way is concerned.”

He said many issues have come up both from the migrant workers, employers and the overall system and regulatory authorities which need to be ironed out in a timely and workable manner so all parties concerned could concentrate to improve productivity and move Fiji forward.

“There are certain restrictions and delays with Land Transport Authority (LTA) in issuing appropriate licences to our drivers and special heavy machinery operators and this causes a lot of pain and loss of income for our people as without the proper licences, they are unable to carry out the job for which they have come from Bangladesh after spending close to FJD $10, 000,” Mr Rahman complained.

He also highlighted certain red tapes and loopholes in our immigration laws which need to be streamlined to make life easier for all stakeholders.

“The Immigration Department should embrace the Australian system whereby the visa timeline begins from the day the worker has landed into the country and not from the day he gets a visa approved as it sometimes takes two to three months to arrive here and that time is therefore deducted from the period of their work permits.”

Nadi Police Station officer-in-charge ASP Leone Vurakania who was a guest of honour at the special celebrations said he is so impressed with the level of law abidance demonstrated by the Bangladeshi migrant workforce.

“There has not been a single complaint or charges laid on any Bangladeshi worker in Nadi and all areas where we serve including the outer islands and this is an impressive track record to start with,” ASP Vurakania said.

He thanked the management and staff of the recruitment company for their contribution in supplying quality workers to Fiji to fill-in the gap created by brain drain and non-interest from locals to work in certain fields and industries.

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• SHALENDRA PRASAD is a freelance photojournalist based in Nadi, Fiji