Qatar keen to hire skilled Bangladeshi workers in four sectors

Qatar has expressed interest in hiring four types of skilled Bangladeshi workers in electricity, plumbing, AC maintenance, and welding from five designated technical training centres in the country.

The Gulf country showed eagerness during the 7th Bangladesh-Qatar Joint Committee meeting held at the conference room of the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, said a press release today (18 May). 

Expatriates' Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury held talks with Qatari Labour minister Dr Ali bin Samikh Al Marri.

State Minister Nurul Haque Nur was also present at the meeting.  

While briefing the media after the meeting, Ariful said Qatar emphasised skilled labour over unskilled workers, while Bangladesh also supported the same approach and plans to send trained workers.

Describing Qatar as one of the most attractive labour markets for workers, the minister said Bangladeshi workers are currently contributing to Qatar's development with skill, honesty and dedication.

Citing data that 107,598 Bangladeshi workers migrated to Qatar in 2023, he expressed hope that the Gulf nation would recruit double that number this year.

Minister Ariful said that 110 technical training centres under the ministry are providing migration aspirants with quality training in 55 trades.

State minister Nur said there was a discussion on strengthening labour cooperation, noting that Bangladesh aims to increase the number of workers going to Qatar, including imams and muezzins, whose numbers have declined in recent years.

He urged Qatar to recruit more skilled Bangladeshi professionals, including doctors, engineers, nurses, caregivers, imams, muezzins, khatibs and religious teachers, to support the country's ongoing development projects.

Praising the efficiency and dedication of Bangladeshi workers, Qatari minister Al Marri said that nearly 473,000 Bangladeshis are currently employed in his country.

Of them, 30% are engaged in development-related sectors, while the rest are employed in various professions, he said.

Al Marri also said two special training centres had already been established in Qatar to upgrade the skills of unskilled workers.

Regarding this, minister Ariful said there is only one Qatar visa and medical centre in Dhaka, which is insufficient considering the growing number of workers travelling to Qatar.

He requested the Qatari authorities to establish more visa and medical centres in all eight divisional cities of the country to reduce suffering, travel costs, and delays for overseas job seekers.

Responding to the request, his Qatari counterpart assured that he would personally raise the matter with Qatar's interior minister to facilitate the expansion of visa centres at the divisional level in Bangladesh.

At the beginning of the meeting, minister Ariful thanked Al Marri for accepting the invitation to visit Bangladesh.

The minister also expressed gratitude to the Qatari government for taking various initiatives to ensure the welfare and address problems the Bangladeshi migrant workers face.

Among others present at the meeting were Qatari Ambassador to Bangladesh Ali Mahdi Saeed Al-Qahtani, Secretary to the expatriates' ministry Md Mokhter Ahmed, Special Assistant to the prime minister on foreign employment Dr Shakirul Islam, and senior officials from relevant ministries of both countries.

The two-day 7th joint committee meeting wrapped up today after beginning yesterday.