Chittagong: Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Nurul Islam BSc on Thursday said nearly 50,000 Rohingyas are working aboard with Bangladeshi passports.

‘At least 50,000 Rohingya refugees have been working abroad with Bangladesh passport. We’re shouldering responsibility for the misdeeds they commit there,’ he disclosed while speaking in a view- exchange with the local media men at a restaurant in the port city.

‘Our union parishad and upazila parishad chairmen have been giving certificates to Rohingya people in exchange of Tk 2-4 thousand or 5-10 thousand. Thus they have occupied our places. If the Rohingyas had not been given passports, Bangladeshi workers would have got the opportunity,’ Nurul Islam said.

The minister also announced his strong stance for not issuing passports to Rohingyas.

About human trafficking through marine routes, the minister said a jobseeker can go to Malaysia spending only Tk 60,000. Still they take risk to sacrifice their lives for going there through sea route.

‘Saudi authorities wanted 20, 000 workers from Bangladesh but we could send there only 3,000 for lack of skilled manpower.’

‘We’ll manage to send 20,000-25,000 women workers to different countries if we can give them training,’ he said.

The minister said he is working to find labour market in Australia as huge manpower like doctors, nurses and grass workers are needed there.