Over the past few decades, at least five million Rohingyas have entered Saudi Arabia with Bangladeshi passports, living there as illegal migrants from the country.
They not only stay there illegally, but also conduct various misdeeds, creating negative perception of Bangladeshis among Saudi citizens.
Shafiullah, an employee of the Aemadat Al Zahab Hotel in Al Misfalah, Mecca, went to Saudi Arabia 10 years ago with a Bangladeshi passport. He said: “I came to Saudi Arabia after spending four and a half lakh taka. After getting the Iqama, I did not renew it. Now I am trying to bring other members of my family with me.”
It is known that in the 1990s, the Saudi government took several Rohingyas as refugees. They are receiving refugee status and benefits from the Saudi government. But even though the Saudi government stopped accepting them as refugees, the Rohingyas’ journey to Saudi Arabia did not stop. They continue to use Bangladeshi passports to enter Saudi Arabia.
During the last three decades, at least five million Rohingyas have entered Saudi Arabia using Bangladeshi passports. The vast majority of these Rohingyas are staying illegally in various areas of Mecca and Medina.
According to Saudi Arabian law, foreign workers in Saudi Arabia have to stay under the guarantor (Saudi citizen). The Saudi government issues Iqama (work permit) to foreign workers under the guarantor. But, the Rohingyas with Bangladeshi passports came to Saudi Arabia and escaped from the guarantor. Instead of staying in the area where they were supposed to stay according to the visa, they went to Rohingya-populated areas.
They did not work according to the Iqama. They went to Rohingyas who were already staying in Saudi Arabia. They even did not renew their Iqama later.
As a result, the Rohingyas who entered Bangladesh on paper became illegal. The Rohingyas who went to Saudi using Bangladeshi passports are getting involved in various crimes. As a result, a negative perception of Bangladeshis is being created in Saudi Arabia because of the Rohingyas, making measurable situation for real Bangladeshis in trouble.
Although the Saudi government wants to do something permanently for the Rohingyas living illegally in Saudi Arabia. For this reason, the Saudi government officially proposed in 2010 to renew the passports of the Rohingyas living illegally in Saudi Arabia.
On November 13, 2022, during the visit of the Deputy Interior Minister of the Saudi government, Nasser bin Abdul Aziz Al Dawood, an agreement was signed to issue passports to the Rohingyas. On May 12, 2024, a high-level delegation led by the Deputy Interior Minister of Saudi Arabia, Dr. Nasser bin Abdul Aziz Al Dawood, visited Dhaka. At that time, Saudi Arabia once again urged the renewal of the Rohingyas' passports. As per the agreement with the Saudi government, a joint working group was formed between the two countries. By June this year, 69 thousand Rohingyas in Saudi Arabia are being given special category MRP passports. A list of 25,615 people has already been received from the Saudi authorities.
Translated by Afsar Munna
