Bangladesh has requested the Saudi Arabian government to take measures to reduce expired iqama cases of its migrant workers, as the number of expired iqama workers is increasing there due to employers' financial or legal inability to renew.
The request was made when Dr Neyamat Ullah Bhuiyan, senior secretary to the Ministry of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment, held a meeting with Nasser Abdulaziz Al-Jarid, chairman of the Saudi National Committee of Workers Committees, during his recent official visit to Riyadh, KSA.
During the meeting, Bangladesh also raised the issue of the timely issuance and renewal of iqama of its migrant workers, according to an official source.
Many Bangladeshi workers arrive in Saudi Arabia without receiving the promised job, salary, or timely iqama.
To this end, Bangladesh proposed a dedicated recruitment management platform (similar to Musaned) for general workers.
It also suggested mandatory signing and electronic acceptance of QIWA contracts in Bangladesh before the departure of migrant workers and pre-visa verification of employer credibility and capacity to ensure promised job, salary, and timely iqama.
About facilitation of repatriation for workers with expired iqama, Bangladesh appreciated Saudi Arabia's online final-exit system.
Besides, it requested the Saudi authorities to introduce a time-bound mechanism for processing exit permits, integration of the system with the Bangladesh Expatriates Department and priority processing for workers with serious health issues or emergencies.
During the meeting, both sides discussed joint preparation of a Bangla-language guidebook covering workers' rights and obligations under Saudi labour law, labour culture, social norms, workplace ethics and legal support, dispute resolution processes and emergency contacts.
Bangladesh also called for integration of the Bangla language in digital services like inclusion of Bangla interfaces in labour and residency service apps, health, transport and remittance apps and complaint and helpline platforms.
About the repatriation of deceased workers with expired iqama, Bangladesh proposed mandatory repatriation at the sponsor's cost if the employment relationship was still active.
Regarding medical bills for Bangladeshi workers having expired iqama, it was informed that discussions are on to waive medical expenses for expired-iqama workers still under active employment, or allow cost recovery from the sponsor under labour responsibility rules.
