Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina meets Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE vice-president and ruler of Dubai, yesterday at Zabeel palace. Photo: PID Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged the UAE to remove the obstacles towards reopening its labour market for Bangladeshis. She made the request during a meeting with her UAE counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum at the Zabee
l Palace in Dubai. The UAE PM, in response, said the matter could be resolved through government-level talks like holding discussions between the UAE interior ministry and the home ministry of Bangladesh. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Bangladesh Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque said both the leaders at the meeting highlighted developments in various fields in their countries. The two premiers discussed various issues including boosting trade and investment, increasing cooperation in the fields of education and renewable energy, construction of a deep seaport at Paira, Patuakhali; and 150-kilometre marine driveway from Teknaf of Cox's Bazar to Mirsarai in Chittagong. Also the country's vice president and ruler of Dubai, the UAE premier lauded Hasina's government for its decision to construct the Padma bridge with its own funds. Rashid Al Maktoum also expressed his interest in investing more in Bangladesh's energy, infrastructure, agriculture and tourism sectors. Advertisement About reopening of the UAE labour market for Bangladeshis, the foreign secretary said, “There's a hurdle which is known to all and there was no detailed discussion on the issue.” The United Arab Emirates PM noted that some UAE airliners like the Emirates and Etihad have been doing good business in Bangladesh. He thanked the Bangladesh premier to this end. Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan and State Minister for Labour Mujibul Haque Chunnu were present at the meeting. About the two deals -- The Agreement on Security Cooperation between the Government of the United Arab Emirates and the Government of People's Republic of Bangladesh; and The Agreement on Transfer of Sentenced Prisoners -- signed between the two countries yesterday, Additional Home Secretary Kamal Uddin Ahmed said the deals would play an important role in building confidence between the two nations. “The two deals were inked to boost cooperation in containing terrorism, arms and drug trade as well as human trafficking,” he added. The UAE, the second largest manpower destination for Bangladesh after Saudi Arabia, has restricted its labour market for the Bangladeshis. At present, more than one million Bangladeshis are working in the Gulf state. Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, media adviser to the PM; and AKM Shameem Chowdhury, press secretary to the PM, were present at the briefing.
No comments:
Post a Comment