Bangladeshi workers whose iqamas (residence permits) expired after they failed to reach Saudi Arabia on time due to flight disruptions will be allowed to enter the kingdom, Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury said on Monday.
“Those wishing to go to Saudi Arabia will have their entry formalities completed automatically through the electronic system, and they will be permitted to enter,” he said at a discussion at the BIAM Foundation auditorium on Eskaton Road.
The minister said the target for overseas employment can be achieved if the government and recruiting agencies work together, stressing the need to cut migration costs for workers.
Taking a swipe at recruiting agencies, he said: "Where it is possible to go to Saudi Arabia for Tk3 lakh, charging Tk7-8 lakh is unacceptable. Run your business in a halal way and refrain from extracting excess money from workers, so that they do not spend their entire working time just recovering that cost."
Ariful said modern technology is being introduced at the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) to simplify the overseas-going process and speed up verification of visa authenticity.
A dedicated email service is also being introduced to resolve complaints, he added.
The minister also underscored the need to strictly follow the laws of destination countries and urged recruiting agencies to join the government in conducting necessary awareness campaigns.
Speaking as a special guest, State Minister for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Md Nurul Hoque drew the Saudi government's attention to granting special amnesty to Bangladeshis who currently in jail in the kingdom during the upcoming Ramadan.
He expressed hope that any bilateral issues will be resolved through mutual discussions and called on agencies to lower migration costs.
Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Abdullah ibn Dhafer ibn Ubayya said Bangladeshi workers constitute the largest expatriate community in Saudi Arabia after the country's own nationals.
He said the existing warm ties between the two countries will be further strengthened in the labour sector in the future.
At the meeting, representatives of recruiting agencies demanded simplification of the Takamul test process, a reduction in fees, resolution of BMET's manpower-related complications, and measures to make recruiting agencies stronger and more effective.
