Expatriate workers in Saudi Arabia to get legal support, says Advisor Nazrul

He says Bangladesh is the first country in the Indian subcontinent to sign such an agreement with Saudi Arabia

The Advisory Council has approved Bangladesh’s first-ever bilateral agreement with Saudi Arabia for recruiting Bangladeshi workers.

The approval came on Thursday during a meeting of the interim cabinet.

On Thursday, Law Advisor Asif Nazrul said: “Around four million Bangladeshis live in Saudi Arabia. Many of them suffer due to a lack of legal protection. Through this agreement, we have secured a framework that ensures their rights and welfare.”

He added, “We hope our migrant workers in Saudi Arabia will now enjoy legal safeguards, whether in cases of job changes or issues related to unpaid wages.”

Nazrul highlighted that Bangladesh is the first country in the Indian subcontinent to sign such a bilateral agreement with Saudi Arabia.

“This will play a major role in protecting the welfare and rights of Bangladeshi expatriate workers. The agreement also includes provisions for holding Saudi employers accountable in case of any violation or misconduct,” he said.

The Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment had earlier announced on Oct 6 that the deal had been signed with Saudi Arabia to facilitate the recruitment of workers from Bangladesh.

The government expects the agreement to not only expand Bangladesh’s labour market in the oil-rich Gulf nation but also ensure “stronger protection” for both workers and employers through a structured legal framework.

Saudi Arabia has been Bangladesh’s largest destination for overseas employment since 1976.

However, until now, recruitment had taken place without any formal agreement between the two countries.

Previously, only two limited accords had been signed, one in 2015 on the recruitment of domestic workers, and another in 2022 concerning the verification of worker skills, according to the ministry.