Saudi Arabia says it will take ‘necessary measures’ to allow Bangladeshi workers transfer their residence or work permit.
This assurance was given to Foreign Minister Dipu Moni on Saturday by Saudi leaders, when she met Deputy Premier and Minister of Defence Crown Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz, Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal and Labour Minister Adel bin Muhammad Fakeih in Jeddah.
With nearly one-fourth of its expatriate workforce working in the oil-rich country, Saudi Arabia is the largest manpower export destination for Bangladesh.
But since 2009, officials say, manpower import to Saudi Arabia almost stopped as the it restricted issue of Iqama transfer –residence permit or work permit transfer –for Bangladeshi nationals..
Bangladesh had been requesting the Saudi government to reopen its labour market for the country’s workers and allow job transfer, but there was no response from the Saudis until the assurance on Saturday.
A Saudi team has recently visited Bangladesh to check on the migration process.
According to a foreign ministry release, Dipu Moni during her two-day visit requested the Saudis to regularise the Iqama transfer provision for Bangladeshi workers.
She also handed over a letter from Bangladesh’s Prime Minister addressed to the King of Saudi Arabia to allow transfer of Iqamas for Bangladesh workers.
The minister hoped that the Saudi team that recently visited Bangladesh to check on the migration process would submit ‘a positive report’ to the Saudi government and “more Bangladesh workforce will be recruited to work in that country in future”.
She said the whole process of migration in Bangladesh is aimed at “greater transparency and reduction of migration cost”.
The Crown Prince highlighted the importance of streamlining “manpower sector” in Saudi Arabia and legal status of all foreign workers including Bangladesh nationals.
He appreciated the role of Bangladesh workers in the kingdom and “assured to extend all necessary support to them to regularize their employment status”.
He also underscored the importance of workers with necessary skills and good behaviour.
The Saudi Foreign Minister also promised to look into the request of Iqama transfer for Bangladesh workforce in the Kingdom.
Saudi Labour Minister was also ‘positive’ towards the Bangladeshi workers, the Foreign Ministry communiqué said.
“He indicated that within a short time there will be good news for Bangladesh workers who have been facing problems in transferring their Iqamas,” according to the media release.
Dipu Moni also urged her counterpart to invest in Bangladesh’s power sector.
Source: bdnews24
