The Emirates Trading Agency, a Dubai-based organisation, is interested to import manpower, including civil and electrical engineers, designers, cleaners, electricians and housemaids, from Bangladesh. The organisation also wants to take 50 orphans from Bangladesh at their own cost and provide them with suitable jobs in the Middle East countries.

The proposals were made when a trade delegation of Emirates Trading Agency, led by its executive director M Akbar Khan, met the industries adviser, Geeteara Safiya Chouhdury, at her office in the city Monday.

They also discussed various issues, including prospective sectors for investment in Bangladesh, manpower export and training for developing skilled manpower.

Welcoming their proposals, the adviser said the Dubai-based organisation could come up for the welfare of the children living in government orphanages and baby homes as part of their Corporate Social Respon- sibility.

She also advised the delegation to set up “import-substitute industries” in Bangladesh.

Akbar Khan said his organisation was interested to help improve food, education, health and housing facilities of the government orphanages and baby homes in Bangladesh.

He said there was a huge demand for Bangladeshi skilled labour force in the Middle East countries and his organisations has already provided jobs to 5,000 Bangladeshi workers.

He suggested increasing professional training facilities for the workers to give a boost to manpower for export.