Malaysia has reopened its labour market to Bangladeshi workers from 6 July, following Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's recent foreign visit, Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury said on Tuesday.
Speaking to journalists at the Sylhet Circuit House, the minister said the benefits of the Prime Minister's overseas tour had already begun to materialise.
“The benefits of the Prime Minister’s foreign tour have already started to materialise. Malaysia reopened its labour market for Bangladesh from yesterday (July 6),” he said.
Earlier in the day, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen paid a courtesy call on the minister at the circuit house.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, the minister said the government had been holding continuous discussions with several countries to create new overseas employment opportunities and expand existing labour markets since taking office.
“As part of those efforts, the Malaysian labour market has been reopened. We hope labour markets in other countries will also be opened gradually,” he said.
He said his discussions with the US ambassador covered Sylhet's overall development, the contribution of Bangladeshi expatriates—particularly the Sylheti diaspora in the United States—and ways to expand bilateral trade, increase investment and strengthen cooperation in other areas of mutual interest.
The minister said Bangladesh and the United States have long enjoyed friendly bilateral relations and are working together to make the partnership stronger and more productive.
He expressed hope that continued engagement would further strengthen bilateral ties, economic cooperation and mutual development between the two countries.
Labour and Employment Secretary Md Abdur Rahman Tarafder, Acting Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet Pinky Saha and other senior government officials were present during the meeting.
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