Bangladesh will open a press wing at the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to counter false blames against countrymen, Minister Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain said.
The minister also placed hopes that the labour market of the middle-east country will soon reopen to Bangladesh.
The minister for expatriates' welfare and overseas employment was speaking to the media after holding a meeting with UAE Ambassador Saeed Bin Hajar Al Shehi on Wednesday.
“The allegations against Bangladeshis working in the UAE are false. The government will open a press wing there to counter these allegations,” the minister said.
The minister also added that currently visas for Bangladeshis in the UAE are in suspension since August 20, 2012. “The visas have not been stopped.”
Under the suspension, no Bangladeshis are being allowed a work permit in the UAE, he said. “However, some house-maids are going now.”
According to the minister, the government of UAE conducted an assessment where it found workers of seven countries, including Bangladesh, working there.
“There are about eight to nine lakh Bangladeshis working there. We hope that their (UAE) labour market will soon reopen to Bangladesh.”
The minister added that the UAE was interested to work with Bangladesh for the construction of deep sea ports at the Bay of Bengal.
