State Minister for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Shofiqur Rahman Choudhury MP has called on the UK government to ease visa conditions for Bangladeshi restaurant workers who want to work in the UK's hospitality and catering sectors, reports UNB.
Shofiqur Rahman Choudhury MP was speaking as the chief guest at a high profile dialogue hosted on Thursday by the UK's All-party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Bangladesh.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem, Bob Blackman MP and APPG vice-chair Lord Karan Bilimoria spoke at the event while APPG on Bangladesh Chair Rushanara Ali MP chaired the dialogue.
The state minister praised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her visionary leadership in transforming Bangladesh into a prosperous nation, as well as her government's ongoing efforts to improve the well-being and welfare of Bangladeshis living around the world, including those in the UK.
He also noted that the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and the UK have reached new heights in the last 15 years due to the progressive foreign policy of her government. However, he said that there are still many areas to be explored to further broaden and deepen the Bangladesh-UK long-standing historic relations.
He particularly mentioned that Bangladeshi restaurants in different UK cities and towns are facing severe skilled staff shortages as the UK raised the minimum annual salary to 3800 pounds, an amount that is not affordable for many restaurant owners.
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