Dhaka: Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr. Abdullah ibn Dhafer ibn Ubayya today paid a courtesy call on Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury, at his office here. During the meeting, the minister thanked the envoy for visiting the ministry and expressed gratitude to the Saudi government for providing employment opportunities to nearly three million Bangladeshi nationals.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the minister, speaking on behalf of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, acknowledged Saudi Arabia’s continued support in employing Bangladeshi workers. He highlighted the government’s future plans for expatriates’ welfare, including the introduction of a ‘Probashi Card’ to provide modern facilities, in line with the government’s election manifesto.
Ariful Haque proposed simplifying the registration process of recruiting agencies at the Saudi Embassy in Dhaka and reducing migration costs. He emphasized expanding the ‘Skill Verification Programme’ to cover more trades,
ensuring the recruitment of skilled manpower. Discussions also included modernizing Bangladesh’s Technical Training Centres (TTCs) to meet Saudi standards, with joint supervision.
The minister suggested developing a digital database or ‘Qualified Talent Bank’ to expedite the recruitment process. He reiterated the government’s ‘zero tolerance’ policy against illegal activities in manpower recruitment and urged Saudi Arabia to hire more Bangladeshi professionals for white-collar jobs.
Secretary of the ministry, Md. Mokhter Ahmed, requested Saudi cooperation in reducing Iqama renewal fees, protecting migrant workers’ rights, and ensuring swift repatriation of deceased workers’ bodies. The Saudi ambassador noted that many issues were already included in a 2025 agreement, with plans to incorporate others through future discussions.
The envoy highlighted the need for accountability among non-compliant recruiting agencies and proposed developing an app to resolve workers’ complaints. He mentioned educational coop
eration, with Saudi Arabia offering scholarships to Bangladeshi students, and plans to increase the numbers.
The ambassador also suggested launching Saudi Airlines flights from Saudi Arabia to Sylhet. The minister invited the ambassador to visit Sylhet and discussed steps to introduce direct flights to the city.
BNP Chairperson’s Adviser Dr. Mohammad Enamul Haque Chowdhury, Saudi Embassy Consular Abdullah Al-Harbi, and senior officials of the concerned ministries were present at the meeting.