Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia have signed a formal agreement for the recruitment of labour from Bangladesh for the first time.

The agreement was signed on Monday in Riyadh.

On behalf of Bangladesh, Adviser Asif Nazrul of the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Foreign Employment signed the deal, while Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Raji, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, signed on behalf of Saudi Arabia.

The Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh highlighted that this is the first formal agreement on general worker recruitment in the 50-year history of bilateral relations. Although Bangladeshis have been employed in Saudi Arabia since 1976 on an informal basis, no formal agreement existed for general worker recruitment. Special agreements were signed earlier in 2015 for domestic workers and in 2022 for skill verification.

The embassy stated that the new agreement is expected to increase recruitment of skilled workers in various professions and better protect the rights and interests of both workers and employers. It will also strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.

Ahead of the signing, a bilateral meeting was held between Advisor Asif Nazrul and the Saudi minister. Key issues discussed included ensuring proper contract execution, employer responsibility for Iqama (work permit) renewal, and timely exit visas for workers wishing to return home. The Saudi minister instructed officials to take swift action on these matters and urged Bangladesh to support safe and fair migration.

The meeting also addressed cooperation for the recruitment, training, and welfare of skilled Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia.

Present at the event were Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Md. Delwar Hossain, Deputy Chief of Mission SM Nazmul Hasan, Labour Counsellor Muhammad Reza Rabbie, and other officials from both countries.