Qatar has expressed strong interest in recruiting skilled workers from Bangladesh in four key categories - electricians, plumbers, air-conditioning technicians and welding technicians - from five designated technical training centres in the country.
The interest was conveyed by visiting Qatari Labour Minister Dr Ali bin Saeed bin Samikh Al Marri during a meeting with Bangladesh’s Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury at the Bangladesh Secretariat in Dhaka on Monday.
During the meeting, Ariful Haque thanked the visiting Qatari minister for strengthening bilateral labour cooperation and highlighted the long-standing friendly relations between the two countries. He also appreciated Qatar’s initiatives to ensure the welfare and protection of Bangladeshi workers employed there.
The minister expressed gratitude to the Amir of Qatar for sending an air ambulance for the emergency treatment of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, calling it a significant humanitarian gesture.
He noted that Qatar remains one of the most attractive labour markets for Bangladesh, with more than 4 lakh Bangladeshi workers currently employed in various sectors of the Gulf country.
He added that 1,07,598 Bangladeshi workers went to Qatar in 2023 and expressed hope that the number would double in the current year.
Ariful Haque also urged Qatar to establish visa and medical processing centres in all eight divisional cities of Bangladesh to speed up recruitment and health clearance procedures. He said Bangladesh currently provides training in 55 trades through 110 Technical Training Centres (TTCs) under the ministry.
State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare Nurul Haque also called for expanded recruitment of Bangladeshi professionals, including doctors, engineers, nurses, caregivers, and religious personnel such as imams, muezzins and khatibs.
Qatari Labour Minister Dr Al Marri praised the skills and dedication of Bangladeshi workers, noting that nearly 4,73,000 Bangladeshis are currently working in Qatar, with around 30 per cent engaged in development-related sectors.
He said Qatar is particularly interested in recruiting workers in the electrical, plumbing, air-conditioning and welding sectors from five selected Bangladeshi technical institutes. He also said two specialised training centres have already been established in Qatar to further enhance workers’ skills.
Responding to Bangladesh’s request for additional visa centres in divisional cities, he assured that he would raise the issue with Qatar’s interior ministry for further consideration.
Officials from both countries, including the Qatari ambassador to Bangladesh and senior officials from the expatriates’ welfare ministry, were present at the meeting.
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