Articles

9 06, 2017

How do you determine if your employer or doctor is “good” or “bad”?

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:31:33+08:00June 9th, 2017|Articles, Stories|

We wondered how a foreign worker might form an opinion whether he was getting adequate medical care. We picked a worker at random to see what he has to say. By Cheow Yong Jian Meet Kalam Md Abul, 28, a construction worker whose experiences leave him in considerable doubt on how to answer this question.

5 06, 2017

Anatomy of an S-Pass scam

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:31:33+08:00June 5th, 2017|Articles, Stories|

By Darren Oei Rama, a forty-ish Indian national, comes up to TWC2 volunteer Alex, giving him an update to his case. Alex nods and says "Good, that's good," though I can't make sense of what Rama is saying. Then for some reason, Rama turns to me and continues telling me his good news, but he

24 05, 2017

Left bleeding for four hours, no ambulance called

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:31:33+08:00May 24th, 2017|Articles, Stories|

By Sun Han Chen The senior volunteer clenches his fist tightly. “Are you able to do this?” he asks Khalil Ibrahim whom we're interviewing. “Yes, but very pain,” Ibrahim replies softly, repeatedly rubbing his right forearm, which reveals a long scar where not long ago there had been seven stitches. It was a deep wound,

20 05, 2017

Bangladeshi bank charges 10% interest per month

alex2019-08-30T16:31:33+08:00May 20th, 2017|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, Stories|

Street scene, Dhaka Rakib and Kanak don't know each other, but both come on the same day to Transient Workers Count Too with similar stories. The chief similarity was that they both had borrowed from Brac Bank whose branches and billboards can be seen all over Bangladesh. This bank is a major loan-maker

15 05, 2017

Neat payslips hide violations in plain sight

webmaster2019-08-30T16:31:33+08:00May 15th, 2017|Articles, Stories|

Rahman Habibur complains that he has been short-paid for well over a year. It is not immediately obvious when one looks at his payslips. They appear very clearly drawn up. But closer examination reveals that he has a case. Habibur, together with workmate Uddin Jashim, figured in an earlier story Construction worker says he was asked

11 05, 2017

Injured worker given ‘good news’: “Go home, see your family for a week.”

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:31:33+08:00May 11th, 2017|Articles, Stories|

By Chow Zheng Shuan Uddin Md Jashim -- or Din, as his friends call him -- is at Isthana Restaurant this Monday evening for dinner provided by TWC2. After receiving his packed meal from the counter, he settles down at a table to recount his story to me. I picked him randomly to talk to.

7 05, 2017

TWC2 participates in country review of Bangladesh at the United Nations in Geneva

webmaster2019-08-30T16:31:33+08:00May 7th, 2017|Articles, Happenings, News, Our Stand|

Transient Workers Count Too was represented at a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, where the Bangladesh government's handling of migrant worker issues came under scrutiny. Specifically, Bangladesh's governance was reviewed against its commitments to the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and their Families. Bangladesh ratified this convention in August

3 05, 2017

No work, no money, no food

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:31:33+08:00May 3rd, 2017|Articles, Stories|

By Bill Poorman “No work.” Those were the worst possible words that Masud could have heard. Like all foreign workers, he had come to Singapore to put in long hours and make a better life. In Singapore, he could earn a higher income than in his home country of Bangladesh. But when he arrived here in September of

29 04, 2017

Cheating agents and sleeping agencies

Volunteer Writing Team2019-08-30T16:31:33+08:00April 29th, 2017|Articles, Stories|

By Jean Law Debesh* is going back to Bangladesh after a mere four months working in Singapore. He is leaving much poorer than if he had not come at all. This is because his money was taken from him in an illegal transaction that was not brought to justice. He tried to get the police

25 04, 2017

68% of construction workers work illegally long hours

webmaster2019-08-30T16:31:33+08:00April 25th, 2017|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, News, Our Stand|

Over two-thirds (68%) of foreign construction workers work so much overtime that their total monthly overtime hours would breach the legal maximum of 72 overtime hours a month. Of these, one in three (23%) worked twelve and a half hours or more in a single day -- which also violates the legal daily maximum of 12