JEDDAH/DHAKA: Saudi Arabia will recruit 10,000 housemaids from Bangladesh every year. This follows a Saudi proposal accepted by Bangladesh at a high-level meeting in Dhaka on Tuesday.
An official at the Consulate General of Bangladesh told Arab News that he was awaiting an official communication from Dhaka. He added that a secretarial level delegation from Bangladesh had visited Riyadh six months ago in this connection.
"This is a good development at a time when the Kingdom is struggling to meet the growing requirement for housemaids," said Mohammed Al-Ghamdi, a businessman and member of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The Kingdom is expected to start the recruitment process soon, possibly within the next two months.
A Saudi Arabian National Recruitment Committee (SANRC) delegation now in Dhaka proposed to recruit 10,000 housemaids every year at a meeting with Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain at his secretariat office in the Bangladesh capital.
Saad Nahr Al-Baddah, who heads the eight-member SNRC delegation as its chairman, held the meeting in the presence of Saudi Ambassador in Dhaka Abdullah bin Naser Al-Busairi. He expressed the hope that the Kingdom would be able to take 10,000 housemaids from Bangladesh "free of cost" soon.
The minister said the government would impart training to housemaids intending to go to the Kingdom and each worker would get 12,000 Bangladeshi taka (around SR640) per month.
Housemaids can leave for the Kingdom in a couple of months, the minister said, adding that the process is under way to set up 36 additional training centers to meet the growing demand for manpower training.
"Those who are willing to work there will not have to spend money as all expenses including plane fare, medical charge and training will be borne by Saudi sponsors," the minister is quoted as saying. "The Kingdom is keen to recruit huge manpower from Bangladesh, including housemaids, drivers, gardeners and caretakers."
The minister added that his country had 10 recruiting agencies at present and the number would be increased in due course.
An estimated 1.5 million Bangladeshis are currently working in the Kingdom.
© Arab News 2011
