Sisters Shaheen Begum and Asma Begum from Telangana rescued from Oman

Chanchalgua : Two siblings stuck in Oman were rescued after several months of efforts by Indian authorities, who initiated the action following intervention of city based politician and MBT leader, Amjedullah Khan.

According to details, the two sisters Shaheen Begum and Asma Begum, both residents of Nizamabad District were in search of job owing to financial problems.

Lured as beauticians by travel agents, the two siblings were pushed into domestic drudgery, forcing them to work for 15-hours a day. Concerned over the well-being of daughters who were struck in Oman, their mother, Ajmera Begum approached MBT leader, Amjedullah Khan in the month of September, 2019, seeking help and appealed him to take up the matter with the Ministry of External Affairs.

According to the MBT leader, Ajmeri Begum said her two daughters were in search of jobs, as their husbands were not looking after them properly. Both women were offered beautician jobs in Muscat, Oman by a travel agent. Believing in the offer, they went to Muscat. "They both were promised that they might stay and work together besides free food and accommodation by the employer with a payment of Rs 25,000 as salary to each," he said.

Falling prey to the offer, they reached the Gulf country. They were taken to a recruitment agency. But to their shock they were sent to work as housemaids. After some days, both sisters were asked to stay away from each other and work separately, informed their mother.

"They were asked to work for 15 hours daily and the food and accommodation were not good. When my daughters wanted to return, the recruitment agency demanded Rs 2 lakhs each for release," she said.

Later, Khan informed that given the gravity of the matter, he took up the case with Dr Subrahmanyam Jayshankar, Minister for External Affairs (Govt of India) and Indian Embassy in Muscat, Oman and requested them to rescue both sisters at the earliest. "After much persuasion, both sisters were rescued and reached Nizamabad safely", informed Khan.

It may be mentioned here that The Hans India also took up the issue and highlighted the matter on September 21, 2019 in its news item, 'Bonded Labour in Muscat – 2 beauticians from TS end up as housemaids'.