Saudi Arabia will consider taking more workers in farm and other sectors from Bangladesh, the Saudi foreign minister, Prince Saud Al-Faisal, told the Bangladesh foreign minister, Dipu Moni, in Jeddah on Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia will also ease restrictions on allowing changes in iqama (work permit) of Bangladeshi workers, he said.
The Saudi minister said this at a meeting with his Bangladesh counterpart at the foreign ministry in Jeddah. Dipu Moni was in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on a four-day official visit.
Saudi Arabia will require more workers in different sectors, including farm, Dipu Moni quoted the Saudi minister as saying at a meeting in Jeddah.
A good number of them can be taken from Bangladesh, he said.
Prince Faisal also appreciated Bangladeshi workers’ playing a role in the economy and development of his country. ‘We are happy with them,’ he said.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia now takes new workers from Bangladesh on a ‘limited’ scale. At least, two million Bangladeshis are
now working in Saudi Arabia.
Dipu Moni informed Prince Al-Faisal of the measures taken by the Bangladesh government to improve the process of migration including increasing skills of Bangladeshi workers and stopping fraud and harassment in sending workers abroad.
As the Bangladesh minister stressed the need for reactivating the joint economic commission of the two countries, Prince Faisal said the two governments could work together to involve the private sector in expediting economic cooperation, including boosting trade and investments.
The two governments can support the apex bodies of chambers of commerce and industries of respective countries to work together to boost bilateral trade and investments, he said.
Dipu Moni requested her counterpart to use his good office to import ceramic, readymade garments, frozen food and pharmaceutical and other products from Bangladesh. ‘Bangladesh can provide quality ceramic, readymade garments, frozen food and pharmaceutical products at competitive prices,’ she said.
Saud Al-Faisal said that quality was much more important than prices.
Dipu Moni also said that Saudi investors could take the advantage of facilities in export processing zones in Bangladesh.
She sought Saudi support for Bangladesh in getting a berth in the United Nations Security Council in the non-permanent category for 2016–2017.
The Saudi minister also sought Bangladesh’s support for getting a berth in the UNSC in the non-permanent category for 2014–2015.
Dipu Moni invited Prince Faisal to visit Bangladesh. He accepted the proposal and said that he would visit Dhaka at a time convenient for both the sides.
‘Bangladesh is a beautiful country…. Rain is very beautiful there. I’ll be happy to be there once again,’ he said.
The Saudi minister also inquired about the health of the Bangladesh prime minister, Sheikh Hasina.
-With New Age input
