A large number of Bengali migrants also face many problems in the gulf, Adhir Chowdhury said. (File)
West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Monday wrote to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, requesting her to create a new department exclusively dedicated to the welfare of the West Bengal migrants in view of the "sad plight" they face in India as well as abroad.
In the letter, the Congress leader said that in the recent past residents of West Bengal have become migrant labourers in almost all metropolitan cities of India, and also in gulf countries.
"I wish to bring to your kind attention a very important issue from the state perspective. It is a matter of record that in the past a good number of migrant labourers from the neighbouring states used to come to West Bengal especially in Kolkata in search of their livelihood. However, in the recent past, the scenario has changed. Now our own residents of West Bengal have become migrant labourers in almost all metropolitan cities of India. We have all witnessed their plight during the Covid lockdown," Mr Chowdhury said in the letter.
He also mentioned that Bengali migrants have also gone to gulf countries as migrant labourers, and lots of them are being cheated every year by unscrupulous placement agents.
"A large number of Bengali migrants face many problems in the gulf and the Indian Embassies in those countries are not of much help. In view of the sad plight of the Bengali migrant labourers in India as well as abroad. I shall request you to kindly create a new Department exclusively dedicated to the welfare of the West Bengal migrants," the Congress MP added.