Oman yesterday lifted its ban on Bangladeshi unskilled and skilled workers after 12 years and expressed interest in recruiting skilled labour from here. The Middle Eastern country also handed over a draft memorandum of understanding for manpower recruitment to Bangladesh yesterday when visiting Omanese Minister for Manpower Juma bin Ali bin Juma met Foreign Adviser Iftekhar A Chowdhury.

“Visa is open for all Bangladeshis to come to Oman,” said bin Juma at a joint press-briefing after the bilateral meeting, where he also said Oman is looking for a wide-range of skilled workers, such as professors, doctors, engineers and mechanics.

Officials said the 12-year ban was imposed after a number of problems arose with Bangladeshi workers in Oman, but has been lifted in light of Oman’s need and Bangladesh’s ability to provide skilled workers.

Iftekhar said Dhaka is looking into signing the MoU and has told Juma “We now have a strategy to develop skills. Both of our second language is English which is a tremendous advantage.”

The MoU between the two countries is likely to be signed when Iftekhar visits Muscat at an undisclosed date.

This was the first visit by an Omanese minister to Bangladesh since diplomatic relation was established 25 years ago.

Currently, there are 1.62 lakh Bangladeshi workers in Oman, with 15 thousand recruited to the country this year alone.

When the visiting minister’s attention was drawn to the recent complaints by Bangladeshi expatriate workers of being unpaid by employers in countries such as Malaysia and Kuwait, Juma said that Omani labour law gives the same privilege to foreign workers as it does to locals.

A number of Omanese businessmen accompanying the minister will visit a fish processing factory in Chittagong today and meet business bodies to explore investment opportunities here.