Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain on Sunday welcomed Saudi Arabia’s decision to allow Bangladeshi workers to change their workplaces in the next three months.
In a press briefing at the minister at noon, the minister said it was the first step towards the reopening of Bangladesh’s labour market in Saudi Arabia.
Bangladesh has not been sending workers to Saudi Arabia since 2009.
On April 6, Saudi Arabia declared a three-month grace period during which illegal workers could amend their status.
On May 10, the Saudi government declared a general amnesty under which all foreigners, whose stay violated residency and labour laws prior to April 6, would be allowed to correct their statues and continue to stay and work in the Kingdom, without facing any penalties or paying any fines within the grace period.
In the briefing, the minister also said Bangladesh would strengthen its offices in Saudi Arabia for securing the labour market there.
Khandakar Mosharrafalso said the government was trying open labour markets in some other Middle Eastern countries through the Government-to-Government arrangement.
He informed that Oman sought 400-500 doctors from Bangladesh.
