Ahammad Parvej Khan, back from Lisbon, Portugal:
The government of Bangladesh should introduce a pension scheme for the Bangladeshi immigrants, working abroad, because this is very essential for ensuring a bit source of dependence in their old ages, said Rana Taslim Uddin, a Bangladeshi diaspora and leader of Bangladeshi community in Lisbon, Portugal.
Staying in Europe for over 35 years, the highly experienced and popular leader, Rana Taslim Uddin made the remarks in an interview with Bangladesh Post in Lisbon this January.
He said Bangladeshis have remarkable contributions behind the development of attractive infrastructures as well as in economic growth of today’s rich and beautiful Portugal.
“The labor of people of my country is engaged with today’s big cities, the metro, big breezes, culverts and major construction here in Portugal. They have worked here, during their youth life they engaged their labor for all these, although they were paid a little bit but there have no way to neglect the contribution of my people”, Rana Taslim added.
He also said “I tell all these openly in mainstream Portuguese media, they get surprised how this man tell this, and that’s why I am much talked here, much criticized as well as a man of love”.
Replying to a query, he said currently there have at least 15 million Bangladeshi expatriates living in many countries across the world. We can divide this number 15 million into two parts as like one is immigrant and the other is diaspora and among them those the diasporas never want anything from the country rather they want to give something to their motherland.
Those who are expatriates they want something from the Bangladesh and the government should meet their demands. I must mention that those who come abroad for a limited period or contractually, the government should have some schemes for them, most of those who go to Middle East countries and send lion share of their earning to Bangladesh.
Rana Taslim Uddin feels that the government of Bangladesh also should pay attention to the remittance fighters.
“I know that the government has already undertaken a good number of initiatives but they are not sufficient, it needs to be much more. I will say that introducing a pension allowance is very essential for those who move to Middle East countries, Malaysia or other similar countries having employment through which they can rest assure that they will get something from the government during their old age” he added.
“At the same time there should have some facilities for the children of those people. This will create a sort of assurance for them during their old age. Another important thing is to prevent the people those who come abroad aimlessly because every year a number of people die in the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea on their way to come to Europe”.
He feels that the government has to control this at any cost, for this the agencies involved in inspiring these type of risky move, have to be controlled very strictly. This will require effective campaign program, at the same time opening free training centers for those who intend to come to Europe through these risky ways so that they can come after necessary training, that can help them coming abroad legally, contribute to the country and ultimately can make the country’s image bright in abroad.
I believe that this is a basic area, the government to pay due heed. You know it’s not that only Bangladeshis are moving abroad as immigrants, rather people from around the world move to other countries as immigrants.
Human beings are now moving like birds. People from all over the world are moving from here to there in different parts across the globe. Suppose, here in Portugal, we find a lot of people coming from different countries including India, Pakistan, Nepal, Srilanka, mostly from the Asian sub-continent.
Side by side we find immigrants from Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, but in terms of the day to day activities we own identify ourselves as Bangladeshis through our own deeds but not others. I know that almost half of the Pilipino people live in abroad, specially females who does narrow jobs like cleaning, household works coming outside of the country, but they have demands because they understand courtesy and norms.
You will find people of no other countries practice politics coming abroad, except only Bangladesh who start doing political activities of different political parties of Bangladesh, sometimes create chaos and that goes to the notice of the concerned government agencies of that particular country.
If the government fails to control Dallals (Brokers) it will not be possible to stop this practice. According to the rules at Bangladesh Election Commission there have no permission to do political practices in abroad, a law was passed in this regard a few years back during the regime of past government, but the partisan political leaders, inspire this practice through their activists abroad so that in future they can take advantage when they move there, but I believe that this practices should be stopped.
I can share you the reality here in Portugal that Portuguese government never want any sorts of political involvement of any foreigners here. Portugal is completely a civilized country, they rather expect everyone to do social or humanitarian works like welfare association.
Our people never try to understand that if occurrence happen then the responsibility will go upon the government of this country to handle or settle this. When a women conceive in this country, the government takes all the responsibility for her care and necessary treatments till the birth of the child. So the government will not allow any negligence or irresponsible to this child after the birth, but our people do not understand this.
If our government or our political leaders strongly say that no political practices will be allowed by Bangladeshis in abroad, then it’s possible to stop.
I have dual citizenship, my Portuguese friends accuse me whether I am a Bangladeshi or a Portuguese? If you are a Portuguese you will be in favor of Portugal but you always support Bangladeshis, then I reply them that my Bangladeshi community is first of all to me because Bangladesh is my origin, my blood, my skin, my culture so this is completely mine.
Replying a query about the popular image, Mr. Rana Taslim Uddin has been able to gain among Bangladeshi community in Portugal, he said it’s very simple, if people do not hanker after preserving his personal interest then automatically an acceptability will be created, when he will work selflessly then people irrespective of party affiliation or opinion will come to him.
You will find no one against me among the Bangladeshi community people here in Portugal, although many of them are supporters of different political parties in Bangladesh, because I am not in favor of anyone personally rather I work for everyone who needs my support. I go everywhere who invite me or call me, but without any of my personal benefit, I do not take even a cup of coffee from anyone to work for them.
I believe that this the secret, this is the way how I could build my acceptability or position and I will advise the next generation to follow this ways to create their popular image in the community.
I have been here in Portugal for the last 35 years, and my image was not build in a day, it was possible due to my philanthropic works for long days. I have to work with the people of administration or Police department of Portugal always, so they also know about me very well. You will be surprised to know that I am controlled by Portuguese Police for the last 25 years.
In terms of bringing discipline in managing immigrants abroad, Rana Taslim said “let me tell about Portugal as I am staying here, what I believe that people who come to this country must obey and respect the laws of this country or wherever he goes. If he respect law he must maintain road discipline, follow driving rules, business rules and only then he will be able to attract notice of people of this country very positively.
Another important thing is that people of our country live here for long years but do not learn the language of this country, they do not acquire basic knowledge about doing business here legally, they only count how much money they could save in the banks every month but they will fail if any authority seek accounts how it was earned and deposited.
You know lots of irregularities, committed by Bangladeshi people, were detected in recent years. It shown that people are doing business but they do not know how to follow the legal ways or maintain accounts for meet the requirements of the government agencies concerned.
So message is that be it business or a job or anything else, you must have proper knowledge about the legal issues, compliance and related things otherwise you will fail to survive here.
You see, how many people have the ability to come to Europe from Bangladesh? There have some people who can come spending like 25,000, 30,000 US Dollar, with visas named Kangaroo Visa, Packet Visa, Flying Visa, and for this people need no skill, no quality only you are to pay money to the agencies and they will reach you to the destination. Even there have examples to process visa by using false seal or certificates of relevant Embassies. So we can’t do all these, we tried to resist them.
Regarding his long years stay in Portugal and his struggle to establish himself in Europe, Rana Taslim said the story of human life is a story of struggle.
Actually the total lifespan of human being is a mixed story of happiness, pain and sufferings. None of we can’t say that our life is completely a bed of roses. My life as well is consists of agonies and afflictions and also some of happiness but my afflictions are kept subdued as I have to work a lot for mitigating troubles of many others.
I have to listen to the stories of sufferings of people every day, I can realize their pain, even if my family men give me pain it seems less to me as I feel others pain from my heart.
You know people are suffering a lot, in terms of their family issues, financial, so listening to them actually I forget about my own pains in my personal life.
I was a man independent thinking while I was living in my country Bangladesh. Although I did not pass long time in Bangladesh. I stayed in Dhaka for only 17 to 18 years. During my brief stay in Dhaka I was involved with left politics. While I was trying to move outside I had to face a lot of trouble that gave a feeling to not come to association of people when I will go abroad.
And then while I came to this country Portugal there were only five Bangladeshi people here. You know, ‘Rome was not build in a day’, for me, as you want to know, today’s Rana Taslim Uddin was not built in a day, it was possible through a lots of sacrifice, dedication, fight I had to build this society for Bangladeshi people here day by day.
Today I believe that Bangladeshi people are doing very well in Portugal. I was telling in a TV interview recently that the quantity of investment Bangladeshi people made here, was not possible by people by any other country, because many people from other country are doing job but our people are investing here. By investing here our people are contributing to the economy of this country, they are the partners of Portugal’s economy.
Portugal became independent in the year 1974, came to democracy from a dictatorship rule, and after only 16 years of liberation of this country I came to Portugal. It means I am also a part of the independence of this country. Independence means not complete freedom, freedom means economic liberation and freedom in every aspects in the society, and I believe that I and my Bangladeshi community are partners of the economic freedom of this country, what the Portuguese people should not forget.
The labor of people of my country is engaged with today’s big cities, the metro, big breezes, culverts and major construction here in Portugal. They have worked here, during their youth life they engaged their labor for all these, although they were paid a little bit but there have no way to neglect the contribution of my people. I tell all these openly in mainstream media in this country, they get surprised how this man tell this, and that\s why am much talked here, much criticized as well as a man of love.
Now there have 1.5 million migrants including Bangladeshis which was only 300/400 before 10 years, I want say that whoever comes from wherever, all should have a target to love and respect Portugal as a country, respect its rule and to learn the culture and language of this country and integrate themselves with the people of this country only then this Portugal will become the country of all of us.
