13 Indian Workers Imprisoned in Tanzania for Illegal Entry

Thirteen Indian workers have been reportedly jailed in East Africa’s Tanzania for illegally entering the country. Eight of those arrested are from West Bengal, National Anti-Trafficking Committee (NATC) reported.

The Indian workers have been arrested by the country’s Immigration Department for carrying wrong documents. The committee also revealed the names of the two agents, Srimanta Biswas from Nadia district of Bengal and Nadeem Siddiqui, that sent these workers to Tanzania.

The NATC has written to the Ministry of External Affairs informing about the imprisoned workers urging them to rescue them as soon as possible.

Biswas was later arrested after the police asked him to return to Kolkata, Mumbai Mirror reports. The workers have been jailed for six months and must pay 5,00,000 Tanzanian Shillings to get out of jail, the report states.

Sheikh Jinnar Ali, Chairman of National NATC said to the publication, “There is a bigger racket of human trafficking with the kingpin in Mumbai. Otherwise, how could these men be sent from India without valid documents! These Indians reportedly had no valid travel documents and were sent by two agents, one in Nadia who was arrested last night, and the other based in New Delhi, with illegal documents. On behalf of NATC, we have sent an appeal to the Ministry of External Affairs, PMO and all relevant departments.”

A family member of an imprisoned worker told the publication, “We want our sons to be back in the country. They have been lured by big money and employment opportunities but were sent there illegally by the agent in Nadia.”

 Earlier this month, over 59 Indians, including 15 workers from Rajasthan, were reported to be stuck in Malaysia. Most of the workers stuck in the South East Asian country were from West Bengal and of the people stuck there, three are reportedly missing. Two families of the laborers, who had gone to Malaysia for work, have accused an agency of offering fake job positions, the Indian Express reported.

In January, stranded Indian employees of a company in Kuwait who have not been paid wages for months were assured of help by Indian Minister of State for External Affairs Retd. Gen. VK Singh on Jan.11. Singh visited the unpaid Indian workers of Kharafi National and also met the Kuwait Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah.