Migrant workers' welfare a priority for interim govt, Lutfey Siddiqi tells expats in Singapore 

Ensuring the welfare of migrant workers is a priority for the Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, the CA's Special Envoy Lutfey Siddiqi said today (7 March).

"Both the Honourable Chief Advisor Professor Yunus and Advisor Asif Nazrul have identified the welfare of migrant workers as a key priority of this government," he said during a meeting with some representatives of Bangladeshi workers in Singapore.

He also vowed to address the expatriates' grievances, reads a press statement issued by the CA's press wing.

"We are working to improve the airport experience and passport service, monitor airfares, and generally act more responsively to their concerns. While there is a lot more work that needs to be done, it is encouraging to see some positive results," he said.

The CA's special envoy Lutfey also made a courtesy call on Singapore Minister of Manpower Tan See Leng at the latter's office in Singapore on the day.

Siddiqi expressed gratitude for the professional approach to care that Singapore took towards migrant workers, as exemplified in the provision of healthcare.

Minister Tan, in turn, expressed appreciation for migrant workers, including Bangladeshis in the construction sector, for their significant contributions to Singapore.

They discussed ways in which the two countries could work together to further improve the end-to-end journey of prospective workers, help reduce costs, and enhance transparency.

Siddiqi updated Tan, who is also Singapore's Second Minister for Trade and Industry, on the progress in the free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations between the two countries.

He expressed hope that this would lead to a wider set of skills and sectors in which Bangladeshi talent can contribute.

Earlier, Special Envoy Siddiqi inaugurated a new online attestation service for IPAs at the Bangladesh High Commission in Singapore. IPAs, or In-Principal Approvals, are preliminary work permits issued by the Singapore government.

As part of the recruitment process, Bangladesh requires that IPAs be seen and approved by a competent officer at the Bangladesh mission.

Prospective employers and their agents have long complained about the administrative burden of physically visiting the Bangladesh mission for this part of the process.

With the introduction of the new online solution, this process can be completed entirely online.

Subsequently, an inter-ministerial group, including the Secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and the Bangladesh High Commissioner in Singapore, ensured that the online solution, which was stalled for a few years, was delivered within a few weeks.