Dhaka: Saudi Arabia has expressed strong interest in recruiting more skilled workers from Bangladesh, signaling a potential boost in overseas employment opportunities for Bangladeshi nationals.

The issue was highlighted during a bilateral meeting between Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury and Saudi Vice Minister for Human Resources and Social Development Dr. Tariq bin Abdul Aziz on the sidelines of the International Labour Organization (ILO) 356th Governing Body session in Geneva.

During the meeting, the Saudi vice minister reaffirmed his country’s commitment to hiring more skilled workers from Bangladesh, acknowledging the significant contributions of Bangladeshi expatriates to Saudi Arabia’s economy and development.

Minister Ariful Haque urged Saudi authorities to increase manpower recruitment from Bangladesh and called for formal recognition of skills acquired domestically. He emphasized that such recognition would facilitate smoother integration of Bangladeshi workers into the Saudi labor market.

The discussions also focused on enhancing language proficiency and technical skills. The adviser to the Prime Minister on labor and employment Mahdi Amin proposed deeper collaboration with Saudi authorities in developing a skilled workforce. He suggested upgrading selected technical training centers in Bangladesh under Saudi supervision and expanding Arabic language training for aspiring migrant workers.

Labor Secretary Md. Abdur Rahman Tarafdar and Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to Geneva Nahida Sobhan were also present at the meeting.

The Saudi side thanked the Bangladesh Permanent Mission for its continued support at the ILO and extended an invitation to the Bangladeshi minister to visit Saudi Arabia.

Both sides expressed optimism about elevating bilateral cooperation in the labor sector to new heights, with a shared focus on skill development, certification, and increased workforce mobility.