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Twice abducted by repatriation agents, Asadullah goes home poorer than when he arrived
Among the one million medical tourists spending some one billion dollars on medical services this year was the Bangladeshi Minister of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment. His ministry was established in December 2001 for the purpose of ensuring the welfare of the expatriate workers and the enhancement of the overseas
Asadullah tells his countrymen to be careful about taking jobs in Singapore
Asadullah advises care when taking on jobs in Singapore In this short video, construction worker Md Asadullah Late Md Hasan Uddin speaks to his fellow countrymen in Bengali, advising them to be extra careful when seeking jobs in Singapore. The video was made in December 2011 when Asadullah was repeatedly
Speaking of domestic workers: legal isn’t always moral
By Jason Shut the blog down; it's illegal – so went opponents of SingaporeMaid.blogspot.com. The controversy erupted when the Straits Times reported on the blog, run by a full-time mother who goes by the online moniker ‘Tamarind’. The blog was meant for netizens to share negative experiences they have had
A life cut tragically short, a brother seeks answers
By Spiegel When young Sohelrana, a Bangladeshi carpenter, contemplated a return to Singapore in hopes for second fruitful working stint, he thought his younger brother, Roni Miya, should follow. Their father, a farmer, has kept his family of eight in good fiscal shape, but Sohel and Rony still harboured hopes
Constructing cut grass
Before leaving their home country for Singapore to take up new jobs, Aman Ullah and Rafiqul Islam received a letter each from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). Titled "In-principle Approval for Work Permit" and commonly known as "IPA", the letter stated their jobs, the name of their employer, their basic
Why is there no bed?
Would teenagers be able to understand the travails of working life? Especially those of migrant workers? At their age, they had never had any taste of work, nor would they have had much contact with migrant workers, except perhaps foreign domestic maids in their homes. These concerns weighed on Alex's
Thirteen months with a broken knee, part 2
Continued from Part 1. "Mustafa Plaza," Manik told the taxi driver. He figured it would be safest there with lots of fellow Bangladehsis around. He might get some help too. By September 19, just a few days alter, the $50 in his pocket was dwindling fast, and it was obvious
A soft spot for the underdog
By Ramesh First-time volunteer Jason Lim says the experiences of his youth shaped his views towards migrant workers and domestic helpers. “I remember being shocked when I asked my mom how much we paid our maid,” said the 29-year-old civil servant. “I think it was just under $300 a month
Casual but engaged at TWC2’s December 2011 outreach
In the second of a new series, Transient Workers Count Too held a public outreach event Saturday, December 17, 2011. Divided into two sessions -- the earlier one relating to domestic workers and the later one relating to male migrant workers with a short break in between, it was designed
Thirteen months with a broken knee, part 1
"Are you scared?" your correspondent asked Manik, seated across the table. His operation was scheduled for Monday, December 19, 2011, just four days away. He had never had an operation, never been under general anaesthesia before. He paused for a while, then nodded subtly. Your correspondent tried to reassure him: