Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have discussed expanding bilateral cooperation in manpower export, security coordination, anti-human trafficking efforts and investment opportunities during a meeting between Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed and UAE Ambassador Abdulla Ali Khaseif Al-Hamoudi in Dhaka on Saturday.
According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the two sides exchanged views on strengthening law enforcement cooperation, improving legal assistance mechanisms and increasing the recruitment of skilled Bangladeshi workers in the Gulf nation.
During the meeting, the UAE ambassador highlighted the strong relationship between the two countries and noted that nearly two million Bangladeshi expatriates are currently employed in the UAE, contributing significantly to both economies.
He said the UAE is witnessing growing demand for skilled manpower, especially trained drivers and gardeners, and expressed interest in hiring more workers from Bangladesh. He also explained that UAE regulations require drivers to complete a specialised six-month training programme before employment.
In response, the home minister assured full support from Bangladesh in supplying skilled manpower and proposed establishing an internationally recognised six-month driving training programme in Bangladesh through joint initiatives.
Salahuddin Ahmed also suggested developing a unified driving training framework for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and said the matter would be forwarded to the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment for further consideration.
The UAE envoy additionally expressed interest in increasing investment in Bangladesh, particularly in cybersecurity, information technology and other emerging sectors. The home minister welcomed the proposal and reaffirmed Bangladesh’s willingness to provide all necessary cooperation.
Both sides also discussed cooperation in combating human trafficking. The ambassador informed that a memorandum of understanding on the issue is ready for signing.
The home minister, however, proposed a broader Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty that would cover human trafficking and other criminal matters to strengthen legal and security collaboration between the two countries.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs also attended the meeting.
