All should work collectively to combat illegal migrant issue- Rishwan

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mohamed Rishwan has said that all should work collectively to combat the illegal migration foreign workers in Maldives.

Speaking at the Rajjemiadhu show at the local TV Channel MNBC One, DCP Rishwan said that the illegal migration has reached such an alarming level as it is now because of the lack of adequate work by the different institutions concerned.

Noting the role of Maldives Police Service in combating illegal expatriate workers, Rishwan said that the Human Resources Ministry and the Department of Immigration should reiterate their commitment to fight the unauthorized immigration of expatriate workers in to the country.

“I am not trying to point out or criticize any one institution. I believe that all concerned authorities should work collectively and take preventive measures,” he said.

Rishwan said that crime rates also have escalated with the issue of the increase in the many unauthorized expatriates in the country.

“With so many unauthorized workers living freely in the country has also increase the crime rate. We are witnessing that many of these illegal migrants are committing different kinds of crimes. Just merely saying that illegal migrants are increasing would not do anything to stop it. We should reiterate our commitment to work to prevent this,” he said.

Rishwan noted that the parties concerned are now holding discussions regarding the issue at hand and also have held discussions with the President’s Advisor of National Security at the President’s Office.

Meanwhile, in an interview to FE at Dhaka, Bangladesh, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Naseem said that some 50,000 Bangladeshi are now working in Maldives with one-third having no valid documents or registration.

The minister said the Maldivian government has planned to register many of these workers, but he urged Bangladeshi government to come up with efforts to tackle illegal migration, which has spawned a thriving business for rogue Bangladeshi recruiters.