Manpower, energy issues to dominate Saudi-Bangla meet

The two-day-long 13th Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) between Bangladesh and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) will start today, with a focus on a number of items on the agenda, including manpower exports, investment, power and energy.  Sources in the Economic Relations Division (ERD) said the meeting would hold elaborate discussions on an array of bilateral issues between the two friendly countries. On the agenda, the joint commission would hold talks on manpower and employment, development of bilateral economy and trade, investment and industries, power and energy, civil aviation and tourism, information and communication technology (ICT) and religious affairs. Manpower exports and their regularisation in Saudi Arabia are the major issues for Bangladesh, sources said.  

The meeting would place special priority on manpower as the Saudi government wants to send back all the irregular Bangladeshi workers from that country, the sources said.

Diplomatic sources of Dhaka said the meeting may also discuss the Rohingya issue. Saudi Arabia’s government had sent a letter to Dhaka to take back around 42,000 Rohingyas from that country as these people are holding Bangladeshi passports and staying there. The sources said though the Rohingya issue is not on the list of discussions, yet it might be raised. According to the ERD, the meeting would begin at 9:30am at the ERD auditorium in the capital.

The Bangladesh delegation will be headed by ERD Secretary Monowar Ahmed while the Saudi delegation will be led by its Deputy Secretary of the Labour Ministry Mahir Abdul Rahman Gassim. On the concluding day, both sides would pen the minutes of the Joint Commission after a comprehensive discussion on the issues.

Manpower, energy issues to dominate Saudi-Bangla meet

The two-day-long 13th Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) between Bangladesh and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) will start today, with a focus on a number of items on the agenda, including manpower exports, investment, power and energy. Sources in the Economic Relations Division (ERD) said the meeting would hold elaborate discussions on an array of bilateral issues between the two friendly countries. On the agenda, the joint commission would hold talks on manpower and employment, development of bilateral economy and trade, investment and industries, power and energy, civil aviation and tourism, information and communication technology (ICT) and religious affairs. Manpower exports and their regularisation in Saudi Arabia are the major issues for Bangladesh, sources said. The meeting would place special priority on manpower as the Saudi government wants to send back all the irregular Bangladeshi workers from that country, the sources said. Diplomatic sources of Dhaka said the meeting may also discuss the Rohingya issue. Saudi Arabias government had sent a letter to Dhaka to take back around 42,000 Rohingyas from that country as these people are holding Bangladeshi passports and staying there. The sources said though the Rohingya issue is not on the list of discussions, yet it might be raised. According to the ERD, the meeting would begin at 9:30am at the ERD auditorium in the capital. The Bangladesh delegation will be headed by ERD Secretary Monowar Ahmed while the Saudi delegation will be led by its Deputy Secretary of the Labour Ministry Mahir Abdul Rahman Gassim. On the concluding day, both sides would pen the minutes of the Joint Commission after a comprehensive discussion on the issues.