KSA to issue BD female workers\\\' visas from today

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) will start issuing visas for Bangladeshi female workers from today (Monday), paving the way for reopening its market after seven years.
Officials and recruiting agencies confirmed the visa issuance for Bangladeshi workers to the FE on Sunday.
Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) president Mohammad Abul Bashar said after the visa issuance, they will get demand for workers from the Saudi Arabian side within a short time.
"KSA will begin issuing visas from Monday, and after that we will get demand within 15 to 20 days."
He also said they have already started collecting workers in this connection.
The BAIRA president also said without training no worker will be sent to the country. Besides, the middlemen are under monitoring, so that they cannot cheat job-seekers.
If the government takes any action against the dishonest recruitment agencies, BAIRA will welcome such legal steps, he added.
Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in February to hire workers for housekeeping sector in 12 categories. The minimum wage for each housemaid has been fixed at 800 Saudi Riyal (equivalent to Tk 16,564).
Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment (EWOE) secretary Khandakar Iftekhar Haidar said they have already selected 82 female workers from the government database.
The workers will be provided 42 days residential training with Arabic language classes in three technical training centres (TTCs).
"At first we will send workers from the government database," said Mr Haidar, adding that they will also invite private recruiting agencies, as the number of enrollment was poor.
Only 2,900 female workers have been listed with the government database, following different propaganda against the Saudi job market.
He also said the recruiting agencies concerned have been asked for collecting 20 candidates each for sending to Saudi Arabia. The workers will also be listed with the database.   
The ministry has sent a list of hundred recruiting agencies to the Saudi Arabian authorities concerned in line with their demand. Name of the remaining recruiting agencies will be sent shortly.
Saudi Arabia has asked for sending some 200 recruiting agencies' name, which will send female workers to the county.  
Meanwhile, Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) founding chair Tasneem Siddiqui said dishonest manpower recruiters will get an opportunity to exploit the workers, as the government has engaged private sector manpower recruiters in collection of jobseekers.
The authorities concerned could de-centralise the process to collect the expected number of quality workers, she opined.
Saudi Arabia stopped manpower recruitment from Bangladesh since 2008 following some allegations, including irregular migration. However, an estimated 1.5 million Bangladeshis are currently employed in the kingdom.
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