Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul on Tuesday said Bangladesh is committed to supplying skilled and semi-skilled professionals, including doctors, engineers, nurses, and technicians, to meet Saudi Arabia's growing labour market demands.
He made these comments during a discussion at the Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh, where he met with owners and senior officials of leading Saudi companies, the foreign ministry said in a press release on Wednesday.
The event focused on enhancing labour market opportunities for Bangladeshi workers in the Kingdom, it added.
Asif Nazrul underscored the immense employment potential stemming from Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 mega projects, including NEOM, the Red Sea Project, Qiddiya, Green Riyadh, Amala, Diriyah, and Roshan.
He also highlighted upcoming global events such as the AFC Asian Cup (2027), the Winter Asian Olympics (2029), the World Expo (2030), and the FIFA World Cup (2034) as key employment avenues for Bangladeshi workers.
During the discussion, Saudi recruitment agencies acknowledged the presence of skilled professionals in Bangladesh but pointed out challenges such as inadequate information, marketing, networking, visa delays, language barriers, and a lack of pre-boarding orientation.
Asif Nazrul assured them of Bangladesh's commitment to addressing these issues and proposed strengthening ties through labour fairs, seminars, and regular engagement with company officials.
He also expressed gratitude to Saudi companies for employing and supporting Bangladeshi workers.
At the event, the adviser inaugurated the Embassy's E-Demand Attestation system, which enables Saudi companies to register online and attest worker demand letters without visiting the Embassy.
The initiative was praised for enhancing transparency and efficiency in the recruitment process.
Bangladesh Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Delwar Hossain welcomed Saudi guests at the session, emphasizing the importance of stronger bilateral cooperation in the labour sector.
Later, Asif Nazrul met with Bangladeshi expatriates in Saudi Arabia and listened to their concerns, including high airfare costs and excessive recruitment fees.
He assured them of government efforts to resolve these issues and urged them to stay connected with the Embassy through social media and its website.
Expressing appreciation for their contributions through remittances, he reiterated the government's commitment to expatriate welfare and advised them to adhere to Saudi laws and cultural norms to avoid legal complications.
Regarding voting rights in national elections, he said that the government is exploring viable options to facilitate expatriate participation.
Asif Nazrul also distributed prizes to the winners of competitions held as part of the Embassy's "Festival of Youth 2025."
The adviser is currently in Saudi Arabia on an official visit at the invitation of the Saudi minister of human resources and social development to attend the Global Labor Market Conference.
