Sponsors who do not return their employees' passports within 30 days after cancelling their visas will be considered as human traffickers by Bahrain, an official has revealed.

Indian Ambassador Dr George Joseph quoted a senior Bahraini official as saying this during a Open House at the embassy in Adliya.

Human trafficking is the practice of people being tricked, lured, coerced or otherwise removed from their home or country and being forced to work with no or low payment or on terms which are highly exploitative.

It is considered to be trade of people and a form of slavery, which is illegal in most countries.

Victims of human trafficking can be in a variety of situations, including prostitution, forced labour (including bonded labour or debt bondage) and other forms of involuntary servitude.

'Apart from people being brought here and exploited, those sponsors who don't hand over employees' passports within 30 days of cancelling the visa will be considered to be human traffickers,' Dr Joseph said.

'According to the rule of changing one's sponsorship, the expatriate can only stay in Bahrain for a grace period of 30 days after their visa is cancelled.

'But often the former sponsor does not hand over the passport so that the worker can apply for his new visa or gives it after 30 days.

'By then it is too late for him to apply for his new visa and he has to leave or is in trouble for overstaying.

'When I discussed this with a senior government official, I was told that such sponsors will be considered human traffickers and will be dealt with as such.'

Meanwhile, Dr Joseph said that the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) was able to raise BD3,254 since November by charging an extra dinar on consular services offered by the embassy.

'The money was used to provide 11 air tickets for those who could not afford it and also in repatriating six bodies. 'It was also used to buy food for 42 needy workers for 34 days.'

Out of 13 cases that approached the embassy yesterday, seven were new and the rest following up. The next event will be held on March 26.-TradeArabia News Service