The government is seeking bilateral talks with Saudi Arabia to extend the visas of Bangladeshi workers stranded by flight disruptions following attacks on Riyadh airport, State Minister for Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Nurul Haque said today (13 October).
He acknowledged that negotiations would be difficult as Saudi Arabia itself was dealing with the fallout of the attacks.
The state minister made the remarks while speaking to journalists after inaugurating a programme organised by the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit at Hotel InterContinental in Dhaka.
He said arrangements had previously been made to allow Bangladeshi workers to return to their jobs after extending their visas. The government is now seeking a similar arrangement through bilateral discussions for workers whose visas are nearing expiry.
“However, holding these discussions amidst this situation is difficult because they themselves are in the middle of a disaster. Nevertheless, I hope a solution will be reached,” he said.
Nurul Haque said the Bangladesh embassy in Riyadh was closely monitoring the condition of Bangladeshis injured in the airport attacks. The ambassador and senior embassy officials were visiting hospitals to check on the injured, he added.
Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries had been cooperating in treating injured Bangladeshis and repatriating the bodies of those killed, he said.
Describing Saudi Arabia as a long-standing friend of Bangladesh, the state minister said standing by the country during the crisis was also Bangladesh’s moral responsibility. The government was providing assistance to the families affected by the attacks, he added.
Under bilateral agreements, some companies provide compensation to affected workers. The government also provides around Tk13.5 lakh to the families of deceased workers registered with the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training, he said.
Nearly 75% of Bangladeshi migrant workers go to the Middle East, with more than half heading to Saudi Arabia, Nurul Haque said.
Departures of Bangladeshi workers had declined in recent months because of the war but were beginning to recover, he said, expressing hope that the conflict would end soon.
He added that an end to the war could create substantial employment opportunities in reconstruction across the affected region, with Bangladeshi workers expected to receive priority. The government was also working to identify alternative labour markets outside the Middle East.
Source: https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/govt-seeks-talks-saudi-arabia-extend-visas-stranded-workers-state-minister-1571586
