The government is seeking bilateral talks with Saudi Arabia to extend the visas of Bangladeshi migrant workers stranded by flight disruptions following recent attacks on Riyadh airport, State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Nurul Haque Nur said on Tuesday.
The initiative aims to ensure that workers whose visas are nearing expiry can travel to Saudi Arabia and resume their employment without facing legal or administrative complications.
The state minister made the remarks while speaking to journalists after inaugurating a programme organised by the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) at Hotel InterContinental in Dhaka.
He said the government had previously secured visa extensions for Bangladeshi workers facing similar difficulties and was now seeking a comparable arrangement through diplomatic discussions.
However, Nur acknowledged that negotiations could be challenging as Saudi Arabia was itself dealing with the consequences of the recent attacks.
He expressed hope that a solution could be reached through bilateral discussions despite the difficult circumstances.
Regarding Bangladeshi casualties in the attacks on Riyadh airport, the state minister said the Bangladesh Embassy in Saudi Arabia was closely monitoring the condition of injured nationals.
He said the Bangladeshi ambassador and senior embassy officials were visiting hospitals and maintaining contact with the authorities to ensure necessary treatment for the injured.
Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries were also cooperating in providing medical assistance to injured Bangladeshis and facilitating the repatriation of the bodies of those killed, he added.
Describing Saudi Arabia as a longstanding friend of Bangladesh, Nur said the government considered it a moral responsibility to stand beside the country during the ongoing crisis.
He also said the government was providing assistance to families affected by the attacks.
According to the state minister, some employers provide financial compensation to affected workers under existing bilateral agreements.
In addition, the government provides around Tk 13.5 lakh in financial assistance to the families of deceased migrant workers registered with the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), he said.
Highlighting Bangladesh’s dependence on Middle Eastern labour markets, Nur said nearly 75 percent of Bangladeshi migrant workers travelled to countries in the region, with more than half heading to Saudi Arabia.
He said overseas employment had declined in recent months due to the ongoing conflict, although departures were beginning to recover.
The state minister expressed hope that the regional conflict would end soon, allowing migrant workers to return to their workplaces and creating further employment opportunities.
He said reconstruction activities in conflict-affected countries could generate substantial demand for foreign workers, with Bangladesh hoping to secure employment opportunities for its nationals.
Meanwhile, the government was also exploring alternative labour markets outside the Middle East to reduce dependence on the region and expand overseas employment opportunities for Bangladeshis.