Bangladesh
Fraud Bangladeshis become victim of fraud in New Zealand after reaching on worker visa
Own Correspondence, Dhaka, 22 August 2023: Allegations of fraud against 115 Bangladeshi and Indian nationals who went to New Zealand on temporary worker visas. Even after a long time they were not given any paid work in the name of providing employment. Moreover, all were kept in unsanitary conditions piled high. Recently, the New Zealand government started investigating these allegations.
On August 17, New Zealand's Immigration Department confirmed this information in a statement. Apart from this, the same news was also published in the Indian media Times of India on Monday according to news agency PTI.
New Zealand Immigration said in a statement that it is not possible to give details at this time for the sake of the investigation. However, they have given some information.
It is known that 115 citizens from Bangladesh and India were kept piled up in unsanitary conditions in just six houses in Auckland.
They all went to New Zealand on Accredited Employment Work Visas (AWVs). The victims paid huge sums of money for these visas and related jobs. But most of them have not been given any work till now. Some of them arrived in New Zealand a few months ago. The rest have recently gone.
An investigation is underway to find out who took them to New Zealand. However, New Zealand Immigration said that several individuals and companies are involved. Investigators have started talking to eyewitnesses to collect detailed evidence in this incident.
Indian High Commission is working to provide necessary assistance to its citizens. In a statement, they said, "As soon as we got the news about the plight of the Indian workers in Auckland, we went to help them." Staff are provided food and consular services. We are in touch with everyone.
It is known that New Zealand introduced AWV visa in July 2022. Till August 14, 80 thousand 576 people have been given this visa. There are approximately 27,892 accredited employers in this program.
