By Xinhua
Dhaka : Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that aims to provide better working conditions and protect the rights of Bangladesh migrant workers in the gulf state.
Foreign Advisor Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury and visiting UAE Labour Minister Ali Bin Abdullah Al Kaabi initiated the MOU at the state guesthouse here.
The agreement hopes to eliminate problems caused by both recruiting and receiving agencies, the UAE minister told reporters.
He said a joint committee would be set up with three representatives from each country to see the workers have finger print identities, required medical certificates and ensure that a worker does not pay excess fees for travelling to the UAE.
Though Kaabi welcomed more skilled and non-skilled workers from Bangladesh, he said their recruitment would depend on the private sector and their need.
On the question of legalising undocumented workers from Bangladesh, Kaabi said the UAE government and all the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) countries would impose a ban on illegal workers.
Bangladesh has about 700,000 workers employed in the UAE and about 16,000 workers are staying there without valid documents.
Chowdhury said the pact would not only help increase the export of labour from Bangladesh, but would also open a new avenue for better economic cooperation between the two countries.