Asif Nazrul Shares Positive Developments Regarding Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar

Asif Nazrul, advisor to the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment in the interim government, recently attended the Global Labor Market Conference (GLMC) in Saudi Arabia. During his visit, he engaged in discussions with high-ranking officials from Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar.

On Tuesday morning (February 4), he shared a Facebook post summarizing the key takeaways from his visit, including the outcomes of meetings with ministers and senior representatives from these countries.

Saudi Arabia
Asif Nazrul described his visit to Saudi Arabia as highly productive. He revealed that the Saudi government has pledged to take stricter measures to ensure employers uphold their responsibilities toward undocumented Bangladeshi workers. Additionally, discussions were held about sending job contracts to Bangladeshi workers in advance and verifying professional certificates directly from Bangladesh before recruitment.

Oman
Regarding Oman, he shared encouraging news that the Omani government has agreed to legalize all Bangladeshi workers currently residing in the country. Furthermore, Oman has committed to hiring more workers from Bangladesh shortly.

Qatar
Asif Nazrul mentioned that Qatar had made several commitments during their discussions, though he refrained from disclosing specific details at this stage.

While these commitments are currently verbal assurances, he expressed confidence in the sincerity of the discussions and emphasized the importance of continuous follow-ups to ensure progress.

Concerns Over Airfare and Embassy Performance
During his visit, expatriates raised concerns about high airfare prices. Although this issue falls outside his ministry's jurisdiction, he plans to meet with airline authorities in the coming days to discuss possible solutions.

Additionally, he commended the Bangladesh Embassy in Saudi Arabia for its dedication and efficiency. Many expatriates provided positive feedback regarding the embassy's efforts, particularly in organizing meetings with key ministers, 20 major employers, and Bangladeshi remittance workers.

Asif Nazrul concluded his post by assuring that he would share further updates on these discussions in due course.