File photo of Migrant workers at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka TribuneThe workers are primarily employed in construction and domestic workSaudi Arabia is set to abolish its employment sponsorship system — known as the Kafala – following years of controversy over migrant workers’ rights, according to a report in the Saudi Gazette citing anonymous sources. The decades-old system which has been used for hiring overseas workers, primarily from the Indian subcontinent and south-east Asia, allows Saudi employers to assume responsibility for them during their stay in the Kingdom. It has drawn criticism from all over the world for its frequent descent into abuse of the workers. The workers are primarily employed in construction and domestic work. There were also rumours back in 2017 that Saudi Arabia planned to abolish the system, but they were denied by the authorities.

Source: Dhaka Tribune February 08, 2020 11:37 UTC