Bangladeshi workers whose iqamas (residence permits) expired after they failed to reach Saudi Arabia on time due to flight disruptions will be allowed to enter the kingdom, Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury said on Monday.
"Those wishing to go to Saudi Arabia will have their entry formalities completed automatically through the electronic system, and they will be permitted to enter," he stated during a discussion held at the BIAM Foundation auditorium located on Eskaton Road.
The minister stated that the target for overseas employment can be achieved if the government and recruiting agencies collaborate, while emphasizing the necessity of reducing migration costs for workers.
Criticizing recruiting agencies, he stated: "Where it is possible to go to Saudi Arabia for Tk3 lakh, charging Tk7-8 lakh is unacceptable. Run your business in a halal way and refrain from extracting excess money from workers, so that they do not spend their entire working time just recovering that cost."
Ariful stated that modern technology is being introduced at the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) to simplify the overseas departure process and accelerate the verification of visa authenticity.
A dedicated email service is also being introduced to resolve complaints, he added.
The minister also underscored the need to strictly follow the laws of destination countries and urged recruiting agencies to join the government in conducting necessary awareness campaigns.
Speaking as a special guest, State Minister for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Md Nurul Hoque drew the Saudi government's attention to granting special amnesty to Bangladeshis currently in jail in the kingdom during the upcoming Ramadan.
He expressed hope that any bilateral issues would be resolved through mutual discussions and called on agencies to lower migration costs.
Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Abdullah ibn Dhafer ibn Ubayya stated that Bangladeshi workers make up the largest expatriate community in Saudi Arabia, following the kingdom's own nationals.
He stated that the existing warm relations between the two countries will be further strengthened within the labor sector in the future.
During the meeting, representatives of recruiting agencies demanded the simplification of the Takamul test process, a reduction in fees, the resolution of manpower-related complications faced by BMET, and measures to strengthen and enhance the effectiveness of recruiting agencies.
Why it matters
This decision directly impacts thousands of Bangladeshi migrant workers facing visa and residency complications regarding entry into their primary employment destination in Saudi Arabia.