Qatar has signalled fresh demand for skilled workers from Bangladesh, expressing interest in recruiting electricians, plumbers, air conditioning technicians and welding technicians from five selected technical training centres across 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 Secretariat in Dhaka on Monday.
During the talks, Ariful Haque welcomed the Qatari minister and highlighted the steady expansion of bilateral ties. He praised Doha’s efforts to safeguard the welfare of Bangladeshi workers and thanked the Amir of Qatar for dispatching an air ambulance to provide emergency treatment to former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, describing it as a humanitarian gesture.
Qatar remains one of the most significant overseas job markets for Bangladesh, with more than 4,00,000 Bangladeshis currently employed there, according to the minister. He noted that 1,07,598 workers migrated to Qatar in 2023 and voiced optimism that the figure could double this year.
Bangladesh requested Qatar to consider setting up visa and medical centres in all eight divisional cities to speed up processing and health clearances.
The minister also underlined that Bangladesh operates 110 Technical Training Centres offering instruction in 55 trades to ensure a steady supply of skilled manpower.
State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare Nurul Haque urged Qatar to recruit a broader range of professionals from Bangladesh, including doctors, engineers, nurses, caregivers and religious scholars.
Dr Al Marri commended Bangladeshi workers for their efficiency and contribution to Qatar’s economy, stating that nearly 4,73,000 Bangladeshis are currently employed in the Gulf state. About 30 percent are engaged in development projects, while others work across diverse sectors.
He confirmed Qatar’s particular interest in sourcing workers in the electrical, plumbing, air conditioning and welding fields from five designated training institutes in Bangladesh.
The Qatari minister added that two specialised training centres have already been set up in Qatar to upgrade workers’ skills. In response to Dhaka’s proposal for additional visa centres, he said he would discuss the matter with Qatar’s interior minister.
The meeting was attended by Qatar’s Ambassador to Bangladesh Seyara Ali Mahdi Saeed Al Qahtani, Expatriates’ Welfare Secretary Md Mokhter Ahmed, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Dr Md Shakilur Islam Khan and other senior officials from both sides.
Separately, Minister Ariful Haque said Bangladesh is close to reopening its labour market in Malaysia, which has remained suspended since 2024.
He pledged strict action against recruitment syndicates that previously dominated the process. “Our jihad is against the syndicate,” he said, adding that the market would reopen very soon.
The Malaysian government had required previously approved Bangladeshi workers to enter by May 31, 2024, after which recruitment was halted. Efforts to resume worker exports under the previous interim administration were unsuccessful.
Following the formation of the BNP government in February, new diplomatic initiatives were launched, including a visit to Malaysia in April by Minister Ariful and Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin.
Under a 2021 memorandum of understanding, Malaysia had permitted only 100 Bangladeshi recruiting agencies to send workers, a system widely criticised as a syndicate arrangement.
