Jeddah, UAE (BBN)-Bangladesh consul general in Jeddah, Mohammad Nazmul Islam, has said that plans are under way to bring in skilled and unskilled workers from the country to the Kingdom, reports Arab News.
“The Bangladesh government is working on sending not just domestic workers, but also professionals, skilled and semi-skilled workers to the Kingdom,” he said.
“The Bangladesh missions in the Kingdom and the Bangladesh government along with the Saudi authorities are holding regular sessions to discuss the issue,” said Islam. “A decision is still pending.”
In a recent statement, the Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abdul Hassan Mahmud Ali said that the present government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had attached utmost importance to expand trade and economic relations with the Middle Eastern countries, the online version of the Arab news added.
“We have undertaken various programs for further expanding relations with the Middle Eastern countries for economic benefit of Bangladesh,” said Ali.
The minister added that the programs would include trade-related talks with the Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, for growing investment in Bangladesh’s infrastructure sector.
The minister also confirmed that steps would be taken to sign a number of bilateral agreements in trade and business-related matters and visa procedures with Saudi Arabia.
Ali mentioned that the newly elected government has also taken up diplomatic efforts to send more skilled and semi-skilled manpower to the Kingdom.
Following several visits to the Kingdom, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had repeatedly requested the Kingdom to issue more visas for Bangladeshi workers.
Last year, the Kingdom sent an official delegation of eight members led by Sultan bin Mohammed Al-Haja of the Interior Ministry to visit Bangladesh to study the labor recruitment process and security checks in the country.
According to Islam, Bangladesh has now commenced intensive training for workers seeking jobs in the Kingdom, including a program on the local culture and Arabic lessons.
He pointed out that 800,000 Bangladeshi workers had managed to correct their residency status while 80,000 had been deported.
“There are around 1.3 million Bangladeshis in the Kingdom, and the council of chambers in the Kingdom and Bangladesh are cooperating to remove any obstacles that businessmen may face during their visits to either country,” said Islam.
He added that the Saudi government recently decided to issue family visas to Bangladeshi migrant workers again after it was halted in 2008.
“The Saudi government will now issue family visas to Bangladeshi migrant workers and would be issued in phases under certain criteria,” said Islam. “I thank the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for lifting the ban on Bangladeshi workers. They are now allowed to renew residency permits, transfer iqamas and change professions without a fuss,” he said.
Bangladesh is one of the largest labor suppliers to the Kingdom. In 2007, Bangladeshi workers accounted for the biggest share bagging 23.50 percent of the 1.5 million Saudi Arabia visas issued.
BBN/ANS/AD/26Mar14-1:45 pm (BST)
