Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- Bangladesh expects to export manpower to Iraq by the end of this year as the war torn nation needs huge construction workers for its rebuilding,
Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Khandkar Mosharraf Hossain disclosed this while speaking at a press briefing at his office in the Secretariat in the capital on Monday.
The ministry held the press briefing to disseminate the outcome of a recent visit to Iraq by a Bangladesh delegation led by the minister at the invitation of Iraqi labour minister.
"Within next two months, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) will be signed between Bangladesh and Iraq for fixing modalities of sending manpower from here," the minister reportedly told reporters.
He also said the Iraqi authorities have shown keen interest to recruit Bangladeshi manpower specially the construction workers as presently the country is continuing its rebuilding process.
Dhaka has decided to send the workers to Iraq under government arrangements to avoid malpractices that have been creating serious problems in the overseas employment sector.
“It was actually the Iraqi authorities who proposed that we must send workers through government arrangements,” the minister said added.
Currently, all manpower export to Iraq is done by private recruiters.
BBN/SSR/AD-29Aug11-10:56 pm (BST)