Four European Countries Express Interest To Recruit Bangladeshi Workers

Four European Union (EU) countries have expressed their interest in hiring skilled workers from Bangladesh in six of their sectors. As per that roadmaps to send skilled workers to four EU countries are being finalized by June. Bangladesh is initially given financial assistance of 3 million Euros to enable it to send skilled workers.

The interested four EU countries are Italy, Germany, Greece and Romania. Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the media that for almost two years, discussions have been going on with Bangladesh regarding legal immigration to the EU. The two sides discussed this in Brussels on March 4 and 5. It is expected to finalize the roadmap in this regard by next June.

The EU launched a specialized program called the Talent Partnership in 2021 to support legal migration to Europe. Bangladesh is one of the seven countries under it. The EU has taken this program mainly to provide skills and work opportunities to citizens of partner countries outside of Europe.

Bangladesh thinks that if skilled workers are sent to four countries under the Talent Partnership, the scope of work will increase in other European countries as well as in the developed world.

Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Italy, Germany, Greece and Romania have shown interest in hiring workers from Bangladesh in different sectors. However, Bangladesh will get the opportunity to send skilled workers to these six sectors initially: shipbuilding, textiles and ready-made garments, information and communication technology, construction sector, tourism and agriculture. Now the process of sending people from Bangladesh is being discussed with the EU.

An inter-ministerial meeting was held in his office under the chairmanship of Foreign Secretary Masud bin Momen last Wednesday regarding the finalization of the roadmap for sending skilled workers. When asked, Masud bin Momen said, "We hope to finalize the roadmap by next June and proceed with its implementation. The EU's Talent Partnership is a pilot project. If it is implemented properly, many other European countries will show interest in hiring workers from Bangladesh."