SM Mizanur Rahman :All barriers to recruit Bangladeshi workers to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) have been removed after the Kingdom lifted the ban following a long seven years of embargo. “All barriers to recruit Bangladeshi workers to Saudi Arabia have been removed as the Saudi government has received approval from Royal Court to resume the manpower market for our country’s workers,” a high official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, quoting Bangladesh Ambassador to KSA Md Shahidul Islam, told The New Nation on Sunday. The Saudi government imposed a ban on importing manpower from Bangladesh in 2008 alleging anomalies in the recruitment process. A high-powered Saudi delegation, comprising representatives of concerned Ministries, is expected to visit Bangladesh within a week to finalise the issue, the ambassador was quoted as saying. During the visit, the delegation will discuss modalities of recruitment,” the official said. “Saudi Arabia Labour Ministry received the approval on Sunday,” the high official confirmed, saying it is the great news for all of us.Meanwhile, Arab News, an English-language daily newspaper published in Saudi Arabia reports: Ministerial panel has advised the government to lift a ban on the recruitment of Bangladeshi workers. “Recruitment from Bangladesh will resume on a gradual basis, beginning with house servants such as maids and drivers,” a source said.Mokammel Hossain, Bangladesh Consul for Labour Affairs, welcomed the move and said it would help us export more trained and qualified workers to the Kingdom. “We have been looking forward to this news for some time,” Hossain said. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had earlier urged the government of Saudi Arabia to increase the import of manpower from Bangladesh.There are over 1.28 million Bangladeshi workers in the Kingdom while the unofficial figure will be much more. Saudi Arabia used to recruit about 150,000 Bangladeshis a year before the 2008 ban.The Saudi Labour Ministry sources said that the government would continue to issue visas for Bangladeshi workers, especially to carry out the government’s cleaning and maintenance contracts. “We understand that Bangladesh can supply trained and qualified labour force at a cheaper rate,” a source said.Bangladesh has also pledged that it would not export nationals with criminal backgrounds to the Kingdom. The Saudi Embassy has also been asked to keep a watch on the measures taken by the Bangladeshi government to ensure that criminal elements are not hired.Saudi Arabia will also launch a new service to lease housemaids by monthly contracts within two weeks. The move will allow customers to hire maids on a weekly or hourly basis. “The company has managed to recruit more than 6,000 male and female workers from India, the Philippines, Nepal, Cambodia and Vietnam”, said Al-Badah, Head of the National Committee for Recruitment at the Council for Saudi Chambers.
