Saudi Deputy Minister for Labour Ahmed Abdulraham Al Mansour Tuesday urged the authorities in Bangladesh to send workers with adequate knowledge about Saudi culture, lack of which often embarrasses both the sides, reports UNB.

He also called for sending skilled workers in keeping with the changed labour market that prefers killed hands, holding out offer of assistance for skill training.

"We can assist Bangladesh in developing skilled manpower, if necessary," he told reporters after the Saudi-Bangladesh Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meeting in the NEC conference room. Ahmed led the Saudi delegation while ERD secretary Aminul Islam Bhuiyan headed the host team to the two-day 9th JEC meeting that concluded.

Welcoming skilled workers from Bangladesh, the Saudi Junior Minister said workers need to know the Saudi culture, social norms and values as well as the labour laws. "Lack of knowledge about the rules and regulation creates problem," he said, adding that outbound workers should also ensure that they have legally proper appointment letter and they should know their job in Saudi Arabia.

He noted that the Saudi labour market has changed a lot by now and authorities now prefer importing skilled workers. Replying to a question, he said he would not bring sweeping charges against all the recruiting agencies that recruit workers to Saudi Arabia and allegedly cheat workers from Bangladesh. He, however, suggested ensuring transparency of the local recruiting agencies.

The ERD secretary, Aminul Islam Bhuiyan, said the JEC had a fruitful meeting on bilateral issues, including manpower export, trade and commerce, economic cooperation and tourism. "Labour issues dominated the talk."

During the meeting, the Saudi delegation members said that the Saudi government was examining the number of workers from different countries as against their respective quotas.

They also made it clear that it was not an isolated measure against Bangladesh. The team further assured that the recent unrest by the Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia would not be a threat for sending Bangladesh workers to his country.

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