Dr. Asif Nazrul, Advisor to the Ministry of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs, as well as the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, has stated that there are significant opportunities for Bangladesh to send skilled and semi-skilled workers, including doctors, engineers, nurses, and technicians, to Saudi Arabia. Speaking at a discussion organized at the Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh with owners and senior officials of prominent Saudi companies, Dr. Nazrul emphasized the need for qualitative changes in Bangladesh’s labour market in Saudi Arabia.
He highlighted the vast employment prospects emerging from Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiatives, including mega projects like NEOM, Red Sea, Qiddiya, Green Riyadh, Amala, Diriyah, and Roshan, alongside major global events such as the AFC Asian Cup (2027), Winter Asian Olympics (2029), World Expo (2030), and FIFA World Cup (2034).
Dr. Nazrul sought the cooperation of Saudi recruitment companies, who acknowledged the presence of skilled professionals in Bangladesh but pointed out challenges like inadequate information, marketing, networking, visa delays, language barriers, and a lack of pre-boarding orientation. He assured them of resolving these issues and emphasized strengthening ties through labour fairs, seminars, and regular communication with company officials. He also expressed the government’s gratitude to Saudi companies for employing and supporting Bangladeshi workers.
During the event, Dr. Nazrul inaugurated the Embassy’s E-Demand Attestation system, enabling Saudi companies to easily register online and attest worker demand letters without visiting the Embassy. This initiative was lauded for promoting transparency and efficiency. Bangladesh Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Delwar Hossain was present and welcomed the Saudi guests in this interaction session.
Later, Dr. Nazrul interacted with Bangladeshi expatriates in Saudi Arabia, listening to their concerns, including high airfare costs and excessive fees charged by recruiting agencies. He assured them of solutions and encouraged them to maintain close contact with the Embassy through social media and its website. Thanking them for their remittances, he assured the government’s continued welfare initiatives for expatriates and urged compliance with Saudi laws and culture to avoid legal complications.
On the issue of voting in national elections, he stated that the government is exploring viable options to facilitate expatriate participation.
Dr. Nazrul also distributed prizes to winners of competitions organized as part of the Embassy’s “Festival of Youth 2025.”
Notably, Dr. Nazrul is in Saudi Arabia on an official visit at the invitation of the Saudi Minister of Human Resources and Social Development to attend the Global Labor Market Conference.