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Published : 06 May 2025, 09:06 PM
Bangladesh has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to increase legal immigration to Italy.
The MoU on “Migration and Mobility” was signed on Tuesday at the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment in Dhaka, the ministry said in a media statement.
Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Advisor Asif Nazrul and Italian Home Minister Matteo Piantedosi put pen to paper.
The advisor said, “This is our initiative to increase migration through legal channels. Our goal is to ensure safe migration and good wages for those wanting to go to Italy.”
Italy will recruit people in both seasonal and non-seasonal ways, and the ministry will form a joint working group to plan accordingly, he added.
He said, “They (Italy) will meet once a year. We have a technical training centre where our employees can be taught the Italian language, and we are working on this.”
Asif said efforts are under way to increase legal immigration to European countries, including Italy, through different initiatives and MoUs signed with six countries, including Portugal and Austria.
Asif Nazrul spoke about the discussions on the speedy implementation of embassy files and easing the visa process for Bangladeshi students in Italy.
“The fact that we have been excluded from the Italian government’s immigration risk list has also been highlighted.
“We hope that illegal routes will be stopped to a large extent.”
Piantedosi said at the event, “Bangladesh-Italy relations are long-standing. We always encourage workers to come legally.
“The Italian government has been working on this for a long time. This MoU will further enhance the friendship between the two nations.”
Earlier on Monday, Piantedosi met with Home Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury. The home advisor later highlighted Italy's interest in taking in workers legally.
Regarding immigration to Saudi Arabia, Asif said: “An opportunity has been created to legalise female workers living illegally in the country.
“There have also been fruitful discussions with the Saudi government on sending more workers from Bangladesh."
He also emphasised discussions with the government of Jordan on increasing the number of male workers in the Middle Eastern country.
He said, “All female workers in Jordan who have become undocumented for reasons such as changing their place of employment can contact the relevant authorities and regularise their status through a confession process, without facing fines.”
