Desk Report:
A high-level delegation from Oman’s Ministry of Labour and the agriculture and fisheries sectors visited Bangladesh to assess the potential for creating new employment opportunities for skilled and trained Bangladeshi workers in these sectors. During the visit, the delegation inspected Bangladesh’s training systems, infrastructure, relevant activities, and various aspects of skilled workforce development.
The six-member delegation was led by Mr. Al Fadhal Mohammed Hamood Khalfan Al Jabri, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Oman Agricultural Association. The delegation included high-level representatives from the relevant sectors, such as Ahmed Abdullah Said Al Bulushi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Oman Fishermen’s Association. The primary objective of the visit was to gain insight into the capabilities of Bangladesh’s skilled workforce and to evaluate the feasibility of recruiting Bangladeshi personnel for Oman’s agriculture and fisheries industries.
As part of the visit, the Omani delegation met and exchanged views with Md. Nurul Haque, MP, State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, and Mohammad Rashedul Haque, Managing Director of Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL), on October 6. Additionally, on October 7, a significant meeting was held with the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment and BOESL to discuss the potential for worker recruitment, existing training systems, infrastructure, and skilled workforce development.
The meeting featured detailed discussions on expanding labor market cooperation between Bangladesh and Oman, developing skilled workers, and creating new and enhanced employment opportunities for Bangladeshi workers. Both sides placed particular emphasis on the potential for recruiting trained and skilled Bangladeshi personnel into Oman’s agriculture and fisheries sectors.
During the visit, the Omani delegation toured various key training and research institutions in Bangladesh. Notable among these are the Department of Fisheries, the Department of Agricultural Extension (Khamarbari), the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) in Gazipur, and the Institute of Marine Technology (IMT) in Narayanganj—which operates under the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET).
During the exchange meeting, the Omani delegation was briefed on the existing model used by BOESL to send skilled workers to various countries through a transparent, orderly, ethical, safe, and cost-effective process. After gaining firsthand insight into the capacity for developing skilled manpower by visiting various training institutions and programs in Bangladesh, the delegation expressed satisfaction with BOESL’s initiatives and welcomed the move to ensure safe and ethical migration.
The Omani delegation was also urged to create new employment opportunities for Bangladeshi workers in Oman’s agriculture and fisheries sectors. Both sides expressed interest in further expanding labor market cooperation and creating job opportunities for skilled Bangladeshi workers in these sectors.
Stakeholders believe that if the potential for recruiting Bangladeshi workers in Oman’s agriculture and fisheries sectors is realized, it could open a new labor market for Bangladesh and play a significant role in expanding overseas employment opportunities for skilled manpower. At the same time, ensuring transparent, orderly, safe, and ethical migration would create an opportunity to further strengthen the existing friendly relations and bilateral cooperation between Bangladesh and Oman.
