MoU to have positive impact on Bangladeshi workers

"This is the beginning of a long lasting relations in terms of Bangladeshi manpower and the UAE," he told reporters at Zia International Airport prior to his departure ending his three-day official visit to Dhaka.

The MoU signed by the two governments is aimed at ensuring the rights and interests of Bangladeshi workers in the United Arab Emirate (UAE). Presently, more than 400,000 workers are employed in the oil-rich Gulf country.

Replying to a question, Dr Al Kaabi said although his ministry has no control over the recruitment of workers, which is done by the private sector on its requirements, "we're looking forward" to see more skilled and semi-skilled workers from Bangladesh.

He, however, said the Bangladeshi workers would have to make their presence felt in the UAE labour market by improving their skills and efficiency.

Dr Al Kaabi, who visited some technical training centres in Dhaka, said Bangladeshi workers having technical and computer training would have an edge over others in the UAE labour market.

He pointed out that the UAE government has recently changed some laws ensuring timely payment of salaries to overseas workers as well as standard housing and accommodation and compulsory health insurance for them.

"I like to say that all workers should respect the laws. Otherwise, they will jeopardise their contracts and put them in illegal status," the UAE labour minister said, adding that once a worker is banned for breaching his contract, he would be banned in all other GCC countries.

He said: "As we protect their rights, they should not breach the laws."

The UAE government, he said, has also taken some measures to establish direct coordination between the ministries of labour and justice so that the court cases relating to disputes between workers and employers could be settled quickly.

About the use of children as camel jockeys in the UAE, Dr Al Kaabi said the UAE government has banned the practice last year and restricted the entry of children under the age of 18.

He also said the UAE has signed agreements with UNICEF and put US$ 20 million for rehabilitation of the children used earlier as camel jockeys. Under the agreement, UNICEF will provide 10,000 Dirham for each child.

Expressing satisfaction over his visit, Dr Al Kaabi said: "We feel like we are at home. Bangladesh is a sister country for us."

Foreign Affairs Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, who saw off the UAE minister at the airport, said the remittance from the expatriate workers would exceed US$ 6 billion this year. A record number of 65,000 workers went abroad only in April, he added.

He said 2,000 to 3,000 workers would go abroad everyday in the last week of this month. Of them, 800 to 1,000 will go to Malaysia.

"Since the remittance from our workers constitute a major part of our foreign exchange (earnings) and makes a great contribution to our development, we need to ensure the rights and interests of these poor workers and use their hard-earned money in organised fashion," Iftekhar Chowdhury said.

The government would try to sign MoUs with other countries where Bangladeshi workers are going for jobs, he said, adding that a MoU would be signed with South Korea during his visit to Seoul early next month.