KENDRAPARA: At least six workers from Kendrapara district have been reportedly held captive in a plywood factory by their employer at Chon Buri near Bangkok in Thailand for the past six months.
The matter came to light on Tuesday after the Odia workers recorded a video, describing their plight in Thailand. The workers alleged that they are being confined inside the factory and subjected to physical and mental torture by their employer.
The stranded workers have appealed to the state government to facilitate their return to their villages. They said each of them had paid Rs 2 lakh for transportation after being promised a monthly salary of Rs 50,000 by the agent.
“We went to Thailand in August last year through a labour contractor who promised us good jobs with handsome salaries. Instead, we were taken to a plywood factory and forced to work over 12 hours a day without any pay. We are given food only once a day and beaten if we ask for more,” said Prasant Rout (28), a worker from Upalei village under Rajkanika block, in a video message.
Another worker Himanshu Behera (32) of Katanabania village in Rajkanika block said the agent arranged their trip to Thailand on a three-month tourist visa. However, the owner of the company confiscated their passports in Thailand.
Similarly, Jayant Mallick (29) of Nuagaon village in Rajkanika said, “We want the government to arrange a flight for us to leave Thailand. All our earnings are exhausted and getting through each day is an ordeal.”
The workers’ families met Labour department officials on Tuesday and urged them to rescue them. District labour officer of Kendrapara Ananta Padmanava Mahamansingh said top officials of the Labour department have been informed about the issue. Appropriate steps will be taken to help the workers return home.
“Many agents lure youths to foreign countries with the promise of high salaries. We have repeatedly warned job-seekers not to fall prey to bogus overseas job advertisements,” he added.