Bangladesh expects to have more than 300,000 of its workers legalised in Saudi Arabia during the ongoing amnesty.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni on Sunday said their officials had been working since the reprieve began in May.
“We think between 300,000 and 400,000 workers will be able to take the opportunity,” she said at a press briefing.
The oil-rich kingdom offered amnesty for the undocumented foreign nationals on May 10 and extended the period until Nov 4 from July 3.
During this period, the foreign workers who have illegally arrived in the kingdom can “correct their status … with full cooperation and rapid response from citizens, residents, and the business sector” or leave without penalties.
All embassies and consulates have been asked to meet the required documentation for workers from their countries who have not been legalised.
Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a media statement earlier said since declaration of the amnesty, Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate General in Jeddah had extended emergency consular services to 234,293 expatriate until July 1.
Of them 112,994 obtained new passports, 46,896 renewed, 70,735 received one-way travel permit and 3,668 other services, it said.
It is, however, not yet clear how many ‘undocumented’ Bangladesh workers might be there in Saudi Arabia as of now.
Recently, Saudi Arabia also allowed Bangladeshi workers to transfer their residence or work permits.
Saudi Arabia is the largest manpower export destination for Bangladesh with nearly one-fourth of its expatriate workforce working in the kingdom.
But since 2009, officials say manpower export to Saudi Arabia almost stopped as it restricted Iqama transfer – residence permit or work permit transfer – for Bangladeshi nationals.
Source: bdnews24