01 June 2008
A Bangladeshi businessman has arrived in Bahrain on a three-day visit to call on the business community to lobby the government for withdrawal of the ban on employment visas for Bangladeshis.
"I will meet members of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry and present to them the reasons why they should press for the lifting of the ban," managing director of Munshi Enterprises Limited, a Bangladeshi manpower firm, Raquib M. Fakhrul, told the Tribune yesterday.
"Rising costs of raw materials, especially in the construction industry mean loss for contractors. The only way to offset it is having cheap labour.
"Hiring labour from my country makes better business sense as our manpower cost is much lower than that of other countries," Fakhrul said.
He said he was aware that Bahrain was looking at other Asian countries for cheap labour. "Qatar and Dubai did it but were not satisfied with the quality of work."
Fakhrul said the Bangladesh Association of International Recruitment Agents (BAIRA) should have a permanent representative in each of the six GCC countries.
"The embassies are overburdened and I think they do their best to maintain good relations with the host country. But I feel that it would be better for the business community of my country to sponsor a BAIRA representative who would be in tune with what's happening in the region. This person would be better able to act swiftly and coordinate with our government to enhance relations with the host nation."
To illustrate his point, Fakhrul said the Bangladesh Garment Association had appointed a senator in the US to lobby for their business interests.
"Our garment industry is one of the largest exporters and the association has ensured that its business interests are protected with the appointment of the senator as its representative," Fakhrul said.
He said he had visited Bahrain on his own to do what he could to have the ban lifted.
"I am sorry that one of my countrymen was responsible for the killing of Dossary. However, it is also regrettable that a whole nation is punished because of one person's actions. My people have been in the region for decades and have worked for its development."
A Bangladeshi businessman has arrived in Bahrain on a three-day visit to call on the business community to lobby the government for withdrawal of the ban on employment visas for Bangladeshis.
"I will meet members of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry and present to them the reasons why they should press for the lifting of the ban," managing director of Munshi Enterprises Limited, a Bangladeshi manpower firm, Raquib M. Fakhrul, told the Tribune yesterday.
"Rising costs of raw materials, especially in the construction industry mean loss for contractors. The only way to offset it is having cheap labour.
"Hiring labour from my country makes better business sense as our manpower cost is much lower than that of other countries," Fakhrul said.
He said he was aware that Bahrain was looking at other Asian countries for cheap labour. "Qatar and Dubai did it but were not satisfied with the quality of work."
Fakhrul said the Bangladesh Association of International Recruitment Agents (BAIRA) should have a permanent representative in each of the six GCC countries.
"The embassies are overburdened and I think they do their best to maintain good relations with the host country. But I feel that it would be better for the business community of my country to sponsor a BAIRA representative who would be in tune with what's happening in the region. This person would be better able to act swiftly and coordinate with our government to enhance relations with the host nation."
To illustrate his point, Fakhrul said the Bangladesh Garment Association had appointed a senator in the US to lobby for their business interests.
"Our garment industry is one of the largest exporters and the association has ensured that its business interests are protected with the appointment of the senator as its representative," Fakhrul said.
He said he had visited Bahrain on his own to do what he could to have the ban lifted.
"I am sorry that one of my countrymen was responsible for the killing of Dossary. However, it is also regrettable that a whole nation is punished because of one person's actions. My people have been in the region for decades and have worked for its development."
© Bahrain Tribune 2008
