Bangladesh, UAE sign MOU to protect Bangladeshi migrant workers' rights

Bangladesh and The United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed Monday an MOU proving for better working condition and protecting rights and interest of Bangladesh migrant workers in the gulf state.

Foreign Advisor Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury and visiting UAE Labor Minister Dr. Ali Bin Abdullah Al Kaabi initiated the MOU after a talk at state guesthouse Padma.

The MOU provides for a good working condition of Bangladeshi workers, protecting their rights and eliminating problems caused by both recruiting and receiving agencies, the UAE Labor Minister told reporters.

He said a joint committee will be set up with three representatives from each country to see the workers have finger prints, required medical certificates and ensure that a worker does not pay excess fees for traveling to UAE and get their jobs.

In reply to a question, the UAE minister said his government is open to have more workers from Bangladeshi skilled or non-skilled labor force. But, he said the recruitment would depend on the private sector that would determine what kind of workers they need.

Dr. Kaabi said his government would only play a role of catalyst to facilitate the private sector to recruit manpower from Bangladesh.

Asked about legalizing undocumented workers from Bangladesh, Dr Kaabi said not only the UAE government but all the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) countries would impose ban on illegal workers.

Presently, Bangladesh has about 700,000 workers employed in the UAE and about 16,000 workers are staying in that country without valid documents.

Foreign Advisor Chowdhury said the MOU would not only help increase the export of workfroce from Bangladesh, but also would open a new avenue for better economic cooperation between the two brotherly countries.

He said Bangladeshi workers are sincere and hardworking, and the doors of the UAE will always remain open to every category of workers of skilled, semi-skilled and un-skilled.

Chowdhury said "the MOU signed today not only reflect the strong relations between us but it would also help strengthen and widen cooperation in other fields like investment and greater economic cooperation."

He said the MOU will help Bangladeshi laborers, UAE employers and the governments of the two countries to set the things in the right direction.

Official here said the format of the joint committee has not be finalized.

Presently, the UAE has more than 700,000 Bangladeshi workers remitting about 600 million US dollars annually.

Source: Xinhua