Dhaka: Qatar has expressed strong interest in recruiting workers from Bangladesh in four skilled categories-electricians, plumbers, AC technicians, and welding technicians-from five designated technical training centers in the country. Visiting Qatari Labour Minister Dr. Ali bin Saeed bin Samikh Al Marri made the announcement during a meeting with Bangladesh’s Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury at the Bangladesh Secretariat.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Ariful Haque thanked the Qatari minister for visiting Bangladesh and highlighted the significant progress in bilateral relations over the past decades. He appreciated the initiatives taken by the Qatari government to ensure the welfare and resolve problems of Bangladeshi workers in Qatar. The minister also expressed gratitude to the Amir of Qatar for dispatching an air ambulance for the emergency treatment of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, describing it as a remarkable humanitarian gesture.
Ariful Haque described Qatar as an attractive labor market for Bangladeshi workers, noting that more than 400,000 Bangladeshis are currently contributing to Qatar’s development with skill, honesty, and dedication. He mentioned that 107,598 Bangladeshi workers went to Qatar in 2023 and expressed hope that the number would double this year. The minister urged Qatar to establish visa and medical centers in all eight divisional cities of Bangladesh to facilitate quicker visa processing and health examinations. He further mentioned that Bangladesh currently provides quality training in 55 trades through 110 Technical Training Centers (TTCs) under the ministry.
State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare Nurul Haque requested Qatar to recruit more skilled Bangladeshi professionals, including doctors, engineers, nurses, caregivers, imams, muezzins, khatibs, and religious teachers. Praising the efficiency of Bangladeshi workers, Dr. Al Marri stated that nearly 473,000 Bangladeshi workers are currently employed in Qatar, about 30 percent of whom are engaged in the development sector, while the rest work in various professions. He reiterated Qatar’s interest in recruiting workers in the electrical, plumbing, air-conditioning, and welding sectors from five selected Bangladeshi technical institutes.
The Qatari labour minister also mentioned that two special training centers have already been established in Qatar to upgrade the skills of workers. Responding to Bangladesh’s request for additional visa centers in divisional cities, Dr. Al Marri assured that he would personally discuss the matter with Qatar’s interior minister to help implement the proposal. Among others, Qatar’s Ambassador to Bangladesh Seyara Ali Mahdi Saeed Al Qahtani, Secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Md. Mokhter Ahmed, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Dr. Md. Shakilur Islam Khan, and senior officials from both countries were present.