Staff Correspondent:

Bangladesh is set to sign a landmark labour agreement with Saudi Arabia within the next two to three weeks, Adviser Asif Nazrul said on Saturday (August 2).

“Such an agreement has never existed in the history of Bangladesh. There is no such deal with India or Pakistan either. This will be the first of its kind for Bangladesh,” the adviser said at the ‘Remittance Fighters’ Day’ programme organised by the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment at the International Mother Language Institute in Dhaka.

Asif noted that previous attempts to finalise such an agreement during earlier governments were unsuccessful.

Once signed, the deal is expected to enhance the safety and security of Bangladeshi migrant workers in Saudi Arabia, he added.

Asif, also the law affairs adviser, said the process of sending workers to Malaysia has resumed.

Regarding the reintegration of returnee migrants, he said the ministry has taken several steps to reduce harassment and make processes easier.

“We’ve fully digitalised our services, and you’ll see the benefits when you go abroad again,” he added.

He urged migrant workers not to be desperate to work abroad without proper preparation and verification.

Nazrul warned prospective migrants against fraud and urged them to thoroughly investigate recruitment agents.

He emphasised that while he was not discouraging people from seeking work abroad, spending Tk 10–15 lakh on an uncertain future is not a wise decision. “Please don’t take such leaps without knowing the risks,” he added.