27 January, 2026, Riyadh, KSA:
Bangladesh’s Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul held a productive meeting with Oman’s Minister of Labour, Dr. Mahad bin Saeed bin Ali Baowain Salim Al Busaidi, on the sidelines of the Global Labour Market Conference.
During the meeting, Dr. Nazrul praised Oman’s initiative to regularize undocumented Bangladeshi workers without imposing fines. He also sought Oman’s cooperation to facilitate the entry of skilled Bangladeshi professionals, including engineers, doctors, and nurses, into the Omani labour market. In addition, he requested a review of the suspension of visas for unskilled and semi-skilled workers.
The Omani labour minister explained that since 2023, new work visas for unskilled and semi-skilled workers had been temporarily suspended to prioritize the regularization of irregular and undocumented migrant workers already in the country. He assured that Oman plans to reopen work visas for Bangladeshi workers within the next two months.
Dr. Nazrul briefed the minister on Bangladesh’s ongoing initiatives in migration management, including the use of technology to enhance transparency and accountability, legal reforms, pre-departure skills assessment, and orientation programs to familiarize workers with the host country’s language, culture, and laws.
He also proposed convening the next session of the Joint Technical Committee (JTC) in Muscat in the first half of this year and urged Oman to proceed with signing the finalized Memorandum of Understanding to further strengthen bilateral relations and labour cooperation.
Source: Bangladesh Embassy, Riyadh, KSA