Bangladesh has requested Singapore to increase the number of Overseas Testing Centres (OTCs) from six to at least 10 and open up skilled job opportunities in new sectors, State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Nurul Haque Nur has said.
The state minister made the request during a courtesy meeting with Chargé d’Affaires of the Singapore High Commission Mitchel Lee at the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment on Wednesday, according to a press release.
The meeting discussed various matters of mutual interest, particularly on increasing skilled manpower export and enhancing bilateral cooperation.
Nur called for the recruitment of Bangladeshi skilled manpower in sectors such as Food and Beverage, Nursing, Caregiving, Manufacturing, and Hotel Management, in addition to the currently operating sectors.
He proposed using the training centres under the ministry for these specialised sectors and requested that BOESL, the sole government recruiting agency, be listed as a “sending organisation” for transparent recruitment.
The state minister also recalled Singapore’s historic role as one of the earliest countries to recognise Bangladesh after its Liberation War.
Joint Secretary Md Shahidul Islam Chowdhury said approximately 1.35 lakh Bangladeshi workers are currently employed in Singapore. He proposed that graduates of diploma and short courses from six maritime institutes be recruited at various ports in Singapore and also requested an increase in the quota allocated for Bangladesh under the “Sandbox” project.
Singapore’s Chargé d’Affaires Mitchel Lee praised Bangladesh’s skilled manpower and mentioned the possibility of recruiting Bangladeshi workers for new projects at Changi Airport, Sentosa Island, and Paya Lebar Airbase.
He expressed interest in doubling the current seven flights of Singapore Airlines on the Dhaka-Singapore route, while emphasising that workers must have advanced skills and respect Singaporean laws. He also expressed interest in investing in passenger information management at Bangladeshi airports.
Second Secretary of the Singapore High Commission Dhania Lingges, Additional Secretary Mohammad Shahin, and other senior officials were present.
