A historic agreement between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia on the protection and rights of Bangladeshi migrant workers is imminent, according to Asif Nazrul, adviser to the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.
Speaking at the ‘Remittance Warriors Day’ event held at the International Mother Language Institute auditorium in Dhaka on Saturday, August 2, Nazrul emphasized ongoing efforts to strengthen the migrant labor sector and address longstanding challenges.
Addressing concerns faced by Bangladeshi workers, Nazrul said, “Last year, many workers could not travel to Malaysia despite having visas and plane tickets. We are now working to resolve that issue and facilitate their departure.”
He recounted the criticism he faced after returning from meetings in Dhaka, where he announced Malaysia’s agreement to accept returning workers. “There was fierce reaction on social media. People attacked me, saying, ‘There’s no solution for those already undocumented, and now they’re sending new workers again!’ Despite fulfilling a major demand, the criticism was relentless,” Nazrul explained.
During the event, the adviser revealed that the agreement with Saudi Arabia is expected to be signed within the next two to three weeks. “This will be the first such agreement in Bangladesh’s history concerning migrant workers. Although previous governments attempted to establish similar agreements, they never materialized. Not even India or Pakistan has such an agreement with Saudi Arabia. We believe this will greatly improve the safety and protection of our workers there,” he added.
Nazrul also mentioned that the ministry has taken several measures to facilitate the reintegration of returning workers and minimize harassment, aiming to ensure better support and protection for Bangladeshi migrants abroad.
+ There are no comments
Add yours