Reza Mahmud :
Important labour market Libya has opened its window for Bangladeshi manpower after eight years, sources said.
Stakeholders said that about 15 recruiting agencies from Bangladesh got primary approval from the oil rich country to send manpower there.
They said that the long time closed Libyan labour market is opening on account of the utmost efforts of Expatriates’ Welfare Minister Imran Ahmed.
Manpower exporters said, if everything is okay, workers sending will be started from October.
They said Libya is potential labour market for sending several lakhs Bangladeshi workers every year.
Libyan embassy in Bangladesh has included the list of recruiting agencies in their database for regular manpower dispatch to Libya.
Prior to this, the embassy calls for the necessary documents through a newspaper notification for enrollment.
From among those who have submitted documents for enlistment, the embassy initially enlists 15 recruiting agencies to send manpower to Libya. Gradually they will list the names of more recruiting agencies.
“To open this market, our Expatriates’ Welfare Minister Imran Ahmed and Secretary Dr. Ahmad Munirus Saleheen has contributed a lot. Now we have to hold the market,” said one of the members of Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA).
BAIRA members and Embassy officials also said that negotiation continues about starting of direct Biman flights between Dhaka and Tripoli for sending huge numbers of Bangladeshi manpower to the North African Arab country.
When contacted, Imran Ahmed, Minister, Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment told The New Nation, “We are working closely with the Libyan counterparts for opening the market soon.”
The minister said that his ministry is working for sustainable opening of the Libyan labour market so that number of workers can get job there with adequate wages.
The 15 recruiting agencies that have been finalized by the Embassy of Libya in Bangladesh are SM International Limited, Sufi International Limited, ANZ Group Multi Mega Service, Sarkar International, Sonar Bangla Krishi Khamar, Tanex International, One Plus Overseas Limited, Al Tamim Overseas, Pathfinder International, Orbital Enterprises, Mary Gold International, Fames Trade International, A. J International, Al Rohan Travels and Tourism and New Haven International Limited. Apart from allowing these 15 agencies to send workers, the embassy also finalized the list of five medical centers for health check-up of the workers.
The five medical centers approved by the Libyan Embassy in Bangladesh are Saam Health Check Up Limited, Al-Maha Diagnostic Center, MIM Medical Center, Eyrak Hospital and Pushpa Clinic.
Replying to a query, the Minister said that Bangladeshi Embassy in Libya will look after the security issues of the workers.
“Our Emabassy there will give us necessary advices about what to do for ensuring Bangladeshi workers security in the country,” Imran Ahmed said.
Meanwhile, several workers used to enter illegal ways in the war torn and temporarily unstable country for crossing sea aiming to enter Europe are being subject of torture by unlawful people there.
BAIRA members and sources from Bangladeshi Embassy in Libya said that workers who will go through legal ways would not face security problem in the country.
