Sector insiders and migration experts suggested bringing Saudi-bound workers under Covid-19 vaccination on a priority basis so that they could go overseas without hotel quarantine hassles.
If the vaccine course is over, they said, the workers would be rid of the extra quarantine cost.
At the same time, all sections related to migration would stay safe from losses, the experts observed.
About the process, they said the workers, whose flights would be two or three months later, would be able to complete two shots of vaccine.
The insiders also emphasised providing workers with funds for hotel quarantine cost if they go to the Arab country within a short period.
Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh secretary general Mazharul H Bhuiyan said they mailed a formal application to expatriates' welfare and overseas employment ministry on May 23 to this end.
They sought steps for vaccinating the Saudi-bound workers on an urgent basis.
The workers remained stuck at home for the new Saudi regulations. An insignificant number of tickets are being issued daily, thus making them face financial losses, said Mr Bhuiyan.
Before restrictions were imposed by destination countries, they issued 3,000-4,000 tickets to migrant workers. Of them, the highest number of tickets was issued to Saudi-bound workers, he mentioned.
Ali Haider Chowdhury, former secretary general of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies, said they had also sought steps from the ministry to ensure vaccine for outbound workers.
Manpower recruiters were working with 70,000 visa of Saudi-bound workers but could not send them due to a high quarantine cost, he commented.
However, Saudi Arabia announced that travellers from foreign countries would require to follow mandatory quarantine once they reach there from May 20.
As instructed, the passengers, who got two shots of vaccine against Covid-19 and passed at least two weeks since the second shot, will not need any hotel booking for quarantine.
They will rather be staying in home quarantine for a week after reaching the kingdom.
According to information available from the airlines and the ministry concerned, each worker will need Tk 65,000 to avail quarantine facility in Saudi Arabia.
Officials said the government recently decided that they would share up to Tk 25,000 or 50 per cent of hotel quarantine cost of Saudi-bound workers who came home on vacation.
The money will be provided by Wage Earners' Welfare Board. The board runs a fund that is contributed by migrant workers, they said.
Shakirul Islam, chairman of Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Programme, said the government should inoculate all outbound workers to protect them against any unwanted situation.
About the Saudi-bound workers, he said employers should also cooperate with the workers.
Employers could extend two to three months of validity of visa so that workers would be able to complete two shots of vaccine at home.
Bangladesh has sent more than 13-million workers abroad since 1976. Of them, Saudi Arabia hired about 4.2 million, the data available with the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training showed.
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