Saudi Arabia has emerged as an attractive job market for Bangladeshi bikers, driven by a rising demand for online food delivery personnel.
To date, around 10,000 Bangladeshi motorcyclists have secured jobs in the food delivery sector in Saudi Arabia. Currently, there is a demand for an additional 550 bikers to fill positions within one month.
Shahin Uddin, Managing Partner of Haifa Corporation, said motor biking offers a valuable skill set that contributes significantly to Bangladesh's remittance earnings.
"We have already sent around 400 bikers to Saudi Arabia, and we are in the process of fulfilling a demand for an additional 543," he said.
He also said a good number of recruiting agencies are also involved in sending bikers there, and the total number of bikers sent to the Gulf nation since 2022 could reach 10,000.
He emphasised that the recruitment process is transparent. A job fair will be held on September 21 at the Bangladesh-Korea Technical Training Centre (BKTTC) in Dhaka to recruit the remaining 543 bikers.
Candidates must have passed their SSC exams with two years of riding experience. Driving licences from Bangladesh are not required, as they will be provided in Saudi Arabia.
The migration cost for prospective bikers ranges from Tk 280,000 to Tk 300,000. Salaries vary between 1,800 and 3,300 Saudi Riyals (approximately Tk 57,600 to Tk 105,000), with accommodation provided by the employers. And the job contract lasts two years, with opportunities for renewal.
Saudi Arabia has 20 major online food delivery companies, along with about 1,000 mid-sized and smaller firms.
Shahin Uddin believes there is potential to send a substantial number of bikers from Bangladesh every year.
However, he said: "Our bikers often lack communication skills in Arabic or English, which are the primary languages used for customer interactions."
Bikers from Sudan, Egypt, Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka are also prominent in this sector in Saudi Arabia.
Shahin advised that drivers should remit their earnings through formal channels to ensure proper handling of their funds.
Meanwhile, the job fair will take place from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on September 21. Candidates are required to submit a two-minute video clip demonstrating their motorbike driving skills.
Interested candidates can apply without a passport. However, the passport must be produced upon passing the interview. Applicants must be between 21 and 36 years old.
Md Masud Rana, Director of Employment (Additional Duties) at the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET), said that the recruitment of motorbikers as skilled workers represents a valuable opportunity for Bangladeshi youth.
BMET has authorised BKTTC to organise the job fair as part of its ongoing activities, he said.
About 2 million Bangladeshis are currently staying in Saudi Arabia. Remittances sent from Saudi Arabia totalled $2.74 billion in FY24, as against $3.76 billion in FY23, according to Bangladesh Bank data.
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