Oman-Bangladesh MoU on manpower
August 27, 2008
MUSCAT — Oman and Bangladesh have concluded a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on manpower cooperation and an agreement to avoid double taxation following discussions here on Saturday between senior officials from the two countries.
Dr Juma bin Ali bin Juma, Manpower Minister, who signed the MoU with Dr Iftikhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Adviser at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment in Bangladesh, said the deal encompassed the categories of manpower, specialised, skilled and semi-skilled workers, required by Oman’s labour market.
The taxation agreement, meanwhile, is aimed at avoiding double taxation on income generated from international air transportation. Juma said it sought to regularise taxes imposed by the two countries on national airline companies that operated international services.
Saud bin Nasser Al Shikaili, Secretary-General of Taxation at the Finance Ministry, said the accord would enhance bilateral trade and passenger and cargo traffic. The Sultanate has now signed 11 agreements with foreign countries for avoiding double taxation in the air transport sector.
Chowdhury said the pact would give a fillip to bilateral cooperation. Also on Saturday, the Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers, Sayyid Fahad bin Mamhood Al Said, received the Bangladeshi official. The Deputy Premier expressed his satisfaction at the level of Oman-Bangladesh relations, and the two sides agreed to step up these links further, especially in the economic sector with the active participation of private sectors in both countries. Chowdhury said Bangladesh was keen to expand ties with Oman, adding that the two new agreements would open up ‘new horizons’ of cooperation.
Source: Khaleej Times
Saudi Arabia Suggests Bangladesh Workers Know Saudi Culture
April 21, 2008
DHAKA, April 9 Asia Pulse - Saudi Deputy Minister for Labour Ahmed Abdulraham Al Mansour Tuesday urged the authorities in Bangladesh to send workers with adequate knowledge about Saudi culture, lack of which often embarrasses both the sides.
He also called for sending skilled workers in keeping with the changed labour market that prefers skilled hands, holding out offer of assistance for skill training.
“We can assist Bangladesh in developing skilled manpower, if necessary,” he told reporters after the Saudi-Bangladesh Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meeting in the NEC conference room.
Ahmed led the Saudi delegation while ERD secretary Aminul Islam Bhuiyan headed the host team to the two-day 9th JEC meeting that concluded Tuesday.
Welcoming skilled workers from Bangladesh, the Saudi Junior Minister said workers need to know the Saudi culture, social norms and values as well as the labour laws.
Lack of knowledge about the rules and regulation creates problem, he said, adding that outbound workers should also ensure that they have legally proper appointment letter and they should know their job in Saudi Arabia.
He noted that the Saudi labour market has changed a lot by now and authorities now prefer importing skilled workers.
Replying to a question, he said he would not bring sweeping charges against all the recruiting agencies that recruit workers to Saudi Arabia and allegedly cheat workers from Bangladesh.
He, however, suggested ensuring transparency of the local recruiting agencies.
The ERD secretary, Aminul Islam Bhuiyan, said the JEC had a fruitful meeting on bilateral issues, including manpower export, trade and commerce, economic cooperation and tourism. Labour issues dominated the talk.
During the meeting, the Saudi delegation members said that the Saudi government was examining the number of workers from different countries as against their respective quotas.
They also made it clear that it was not an isolated measure against Bangladesh.
The team further assured that the recent unrest by the Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia would not be a threat for sending Bangladesh workers to his country.
Saudis ban Bangladeshi workers in two sectors
April 4, 2008
Riyadh: Saudi Labour Minister Dr Gazi Al Gosaibi has clarified that the decision to stop hiring of Bangladeshi workers was in the housing and agricultural sectors.
“This decision was taken in view of the fact that the quota fixed for Bangladeshi workers in the kingdom was over,” Gosaibi said.
“Their hiring would be restricted to medical and engineering fields. However, there will be an exception for the jobs in the maintenance and cleaning sectors with the condition that their percentage in all the sectors should not exceed 20 per cent,” he told reporters here on Sunday. Read more