Bangladesh Foreign Secretary has said they are closely monitoring the Saudi government’s crackdown on illegal residents there and that a ‘strong’ delegation currently visiting the country reassured their ‘brotherly attitude’ towards Bangladeshi workers.
“We are very alert. We’re closely monitoring the situation. It is not only for Bangladeshi workers, but for other countries,” M Shahidul Haque told a press conference on Tuesday following meeting with his Bhutanese counterpart at his office.
Media reports suggest Saudi Arabia – the biggest labour market in the Gulf and home to an estimated 3 million illegal foreign workers – mounted a crackdown on unlawful residents.
The foreign workers stayed away from offices, stores and other workplaces in fear of deportation to their home countries.
Media reports citing officials said they were targeting about 250,000 small and medium businesses that failed to employ at least one Saudi.
Haque said Saudi government took a policy to bring in their nationals in the labour sector.
“That’s why such things happen at regular intervals,” he said.
Haque stressed Bangladesh’s current relationship with Saudi Arabia was ‘very good.’
“A very high-level delegation is currently visiting Bangladesh. We have had a very fruitful talk with them and they have reassured us that there’ll be no change in the brotherly behaviours with Bangladeshi workers,” he said.
Source: Bd news24
