DHAKA: Expatriate Welfare Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain on Sunday said with cost of TK 15000-20,000, some skilled manpower from Bangladesh will go to Saudi Arabia soon.

The minister disclosed the matter at press conference at Expatriate Welfare Bhaban after returning from Saudi Arab.

Mentioning that the process will begin soon, he said minimum cost of migration and transparency will be ensured in the process to send manpower.

If anyone is found involved in visa business he/she will have to serve 15 years in prison according to Saudi Arabian laws.

Saudi employers will bear workers’ visa, transport, and medical expenses, Mosharraf added.

Replying to a query on why worker’s need to spend Tk 20,000, the minister said that this spending includes cost on passport issuance, agency’s fee and transport to Dhaka.

All matters are not finalized yet, said Mosharraf adding “A list of 22 lakh registered workers, who are eager to work abroad, has been handed over to the Saudi Arabia government.”

The Saudi government will send a team to Bangladesh and a joint committee will be formed comprising officials of the both sides, he added.

The minister further said that the committee will then arrange joint trainings. Workers will be provided three times more than that of Saudi Government’s requirement.

They (Saudi government) will recruit workers from those through securitization, he added. 

Mosharraf went to Saudi Arabia on a seven-day official visit on January 17. He held a bilateral meeting with his Saudi Arabian counterpart Engineer Adel bin Muhammad Fakeih on the next day.

Mosharraf discussed the issue of opening the oil-rich country’s labor market for Bangladesh including reduction of migration cost, capacity building, workers' rights and workers' welfare.

He returned home on January 24.

BDST: 1536 HRS, JAN 25, 2015