Qatar to recruit more skilled workers from Bangladesh

Bangladesh and Qatar Sunday signed an additional protocol to recruit more workers especially skilled workforce from the country for the gulf state, reports UNB. Visiting Qatari Minister for Labour and Social Affairs Dr Sultan bin Hasan Al-Dhabit Al-Dosari and Foreign Affairs Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury signed the supplementary protocol as the two countries signed a labour agreement in 1988. “We’ve very good relations with Bangladesh. Bangladeshi workers have been working in Qatar for a long time. We want more and more workers from this country,” the Qatari Minister said after the signing of the protocol. Under the protocol, a joint committee will sit regularly to discuss and resolve all labour issues. Qatar is interested in recruiting skilled professionals like academics, engineers and IT experts apart from semi- and unskilled workers. More than 15,000 workers went to Qatar in 2007. Currently, some 70,000 Bangladeshi workers are employed over there.

 

Chowdhury said the protocol would ensure Bangladeshi workers’ interests including their wages and other facilities. He said Qatar needs skilled professionals like professors for its universities as well as engineers and IT experts for gas and engineering and technology sectors. He said the Qatari authorities and the people are extremely happy with the hardworking and sincerity of the Bangladeshi workers. Bangladesh earned over US$ 6.5 billion in 2007 as remittance from its expatriate workers. Last year, more than 600,000 workers went abroad with jobs. Apart from the labour issue, the two sides also discussed cooperation in oil and energy sector. Qatar expressed its willingness in developing Bangladesh’s gas sector. The Foreign Adviser said Bangladesh could share technology with Qatar in gas sector and import fertiliser from the Gulf state.

 

Source: Financial Express