Qatar expressed willingness to recruit nearly 50,000 Bangladeshis for meeting growing demand of foreign workers for hosting World Cup Football 2022.
Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment (EWOE) Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain said this to journalists Thursday after a meeting with Qatari ambassador to Dhaka Abdullah Abdulaziz Al Mana at the ministry in the city's Probashi Kallyan Bhaban.
The Gulf state also expressed its willingness to recruit manpower at a zero cost from Bangladesh to protect workers' interest, he added.
During the meeting the ambassador told the minister that Qatar was willing to hire a large number of Bangladeshis, not less than 50,000 workers, the minister said.
Mr Mana also praised the Bangladeshi workers saying they are more skilled and free from unfair activities compared to other foreign workers.
However, the timeframe and terms and conditions of the recruitment will be discussed during his visit to Qatar, the minister added.
The probable time of the minister's visit to Qatar might be early next year.
Replying to a query, Mr Hossain said the workers will have to be given minimum salary keeping similarity with other countries.
"Salary, security and other benefits will be fixed through singing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)," he added.
The EWOE minister said if the workers are sent at a zero cost, they will be not involved in crimes.
He also said as the Qatar has realised the good impact of zero migration cost, the other Gulf countries may also adopt the same method.
EWOE secretary Khandakar Iftekhar Haidar, director general of the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) Begum Shamsun Nahar, among others, were present at the press briefing.
Nearly 200,000 Bangladeshis are working in Qatar in different sectors. Now the country is sending workers to 160 job destinations.
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