Striking workers join duties in Kuwait

DHAKA, Bangladesh, July 30 (BSS) - A good number of demonstrating Bangladeshi workers in the oil rich Kuwait have joined their duties while the remaining workers are likely to join bytomorrow, foreign ministry sources said.

Acting foreign secretary MAK Mahmood quoting the CDA of Bangladesh embassy in Kuwait said that some of the protestingBangladeshi workers today joined their place of work.

He said that the Kuwait police have arrested some Bangladeshi workers who had been demonstrating in the streets, by identifying them from the video clippings. "But the actual numberof arrestees could not be ascertained," Mahmood said.

"I have instructed the CDA to maintain contact with the Kuwait authorities and request them to look into the matter on humanitarian ground," he said adding "We are in it and we trying to pursue the matter." "The Bangladesh embassy in Kuwait already held successful negotiations with the concerned authorities there who assured us of resolving the salary related problem in next two weeks,"Mahmood earlier said.

The acting foreign secretary on Monday had asked the Bangladeshi workers to remain respectful to the law of Kuwait refraining from creating law and order situation there as "none of us expect Bangladesh's image is destroyed abroad." Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti ambassador to Bangladesh Abdullatif Ali Al-Mawash had called on foreign adviser Dr Iftekhar ahmed Chowdhury at his office on Monday and mentioned about a possibility of a visit by the foreign adviser to Kuwait at an "early date." BSS/1400GMT