Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Ariful Haque Chowdhury today stressed the importance of establishing an ethical and responsible worker recruitment system as Bangladesh and Thailand discussed the recruitment of Bangladeshi workers in Thailand.
“A system is needed in which the employer bears the initial recruitment costs, standardized employment contracts are ensured in the local language, and workers have effective protection for their welfare, fair wages, housing, and medical insurance,” he said.
He made the remarks during a courtesy meeting with a Thai delegation at the conference room of the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.
Appreciating Thailand’s initiative to explore potential of Bangladeshi people, Ariful said, “The longstanding friendly relations between Bangladesh and Thailand and the celebration of the 54th anniversary of their diplomatic relations are important milestones.”
Chairman of Thailand’s Senate Standing Committee on Labour Nitirutthi Suthinon said Thailand is interested in signing an agreement with Bangladesh as the fifth country to address the resulting labour shortage.
He also expressed concern over Bangladeshi workers staying in Thailand after the expiry of their visas, using Thailand as a transit point to other countries and human trafficking.
Responding to the concern, Ariful Haque said the identified concerns would be resolved soon and that an MoU between the two countries could be signed at an early date.
In the meeting, state Minister Md Nurul Haque urged the Thai delegation to recruit skilled Bangladeshi workers through Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL).
Secretary of the ministry Md Mokhtar Ahmed stressed the need for the two countries to work jointly to ensure a transparent recruitment process, low-cost worker deployment and protection of workers’ rights.
Among others, Vice Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Labour Chinachot Sensyank and member of the Working Committee on Labour Dr Pirasith Kunlartaripon were present in the delegation.
Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Ahmadul Haque, Joint Secretary Debjit Singha and senior officials of the ministry were also present.
