UNB, Dhaka :
The government looks very optimistic about the resumption of manpower recruitment from Bangladesh by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) withdrawing its all restrictions in this regard and signing fresh deals.
Bangladesh has already got a positive signal from the UAE, the second largest manpower destination for Bangladesh after the Saudi Arabia with around 10 lakh Bangladeshis, over recruiting Bangladeshis afresh.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to visit the UAE on October 26-27 which has generated hopes that there will be a breakthrough during the crucial visit.
The visit, to be taken place at the invitation of the UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, will also have focus on bilateral trade and investment.
“Manpower market for Bangladesh in the UAE will open afresh following our Prime Minister’s visit there,” Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Engineer Khandker Mosharraf Hossain told UNB.
He said Bangladesh will sign three memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with the UAE during the PM’s visit over the manpower export.
Bangladesh will make sure that it will maintain highest transparency in sending workers if the two countries agree to restart the process of recruiting manpower.
Mosharraf is very confident that the UAE will resume recruiting Bangladeshis soon after the Prime Minister’s visit.
“We’ll send workers on their demand once the UAE agrees to recruit Bangladeshis,” he said expressing the hope that Bangladesh will be able to send 10-12 lakh people abroad gradually once the UAE starts recruitment.
Talking to UNB, president of Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (Baira) Mohammed Abul Basher said they are very hopeful about a positive outcome through high-level talks.
He claimed that the UAE has not been recruiting Bangladeshis for the last two years but did not explain why the UAE stopped recruiting Bangladeshis.
In this regard, minister Mosharraf Hossain said, during the four-party alliance government in the past, Bangladeshis were sent to the UAE without proper scrutiny apart from the reason that some Bangladeshis got involved in criminal activities.
“But they (UAE) has not only stopped recruiting from Bangladesh but also from another five countries,” he added.
Director General of Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) Shamsun Nahar said there will be talks at PM and minister levels in the UAE over the manpower issue during the Prime Minister’s visit.
“Bangladesh will uphold its activities over manpower export, including maintenance of a database and transparent selection process,” she said.
Shamsun Nahar said Bangladesh will inform the UAE authorities that skilled workers would be sent addressing security issues through proper verification.
She said an MoU will be signed between the BMET and UAE Manpower Export Department in addition to signing a deal with a private organisation – AMLG – there.
Through the BMET, Bangladesh will send workers, including drivers and housekeepers, to 12 categories.
Both the countries have gone through hectic negotiations through diplomatic channels as the Gulf nation was not issuing Bangladeshis all types of entry permits since August 2012 for Dhaka’s failure to address its security concerns over identification and the use of fake documents and expired passports and visas.
