Staff Reporter :
The Greek Parliament approved an agreement signed between Bangladesh and Greece for recruiting 4,000 agriculture-based workers annually from Bangladesh.
This approval will also pave the way to regularize about 18,000 Bangladeshi workers in the southeast European country.
“There is a good news to share with you that the Greek Parliament has approved our signed MoU on Thursday to pave the way of recruiting Bangladeshi workers in the country’s agriculture sector,” Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said it to the journalists in his office on Sunday.
The minister said that the process of implementation of the legal framework is expected to start soon with this Parliamentary approval.
Dr. Abdul Momen said, “About 18,000 of our people staying there will be regularized as per the approved MoU. Besides, 4,000 fresh agricultural workers will be recruited from our country every year under this deal.”
In February this year, Greece and Bangladesh inked an agreement for recruiting 4,000 Bangladeshi workers annually to the European country.
Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister of Bangladesh Imran Ahmad and Greek Migration Minister Notis Mitarakis signed the deal in Dhaka.
As per the agreement, Greece will provide a 5-year temporary work permits for Bangladeshi workers, besides, seasonal workers will be hired for the agricultural sector in the country.
The MoU have shown that the two countries have decided to expand the agreement as needed, potentially adding sectors and workers to the agreement. After
ending the five-year period, the workers will have to leave the country.
As per the approved framework, Bangladeshi workers will be able now to safely enter the European country to work.
The employers will bear the expenses of Bangladeshi workers after the recruiting process is complete in Bangladesh, Greek officials noted it after signing the MoU.
Bangladeshi workers used to face enormous problems with human trafficking in the past to reach Greece, this framework aims to facilitate a safe process for workers to go to the Mediterranean country easily and legally.
