Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Monday directed the Bangladesh Ambassadors in 11 countries in the Middle East (ME) to expedite diplomatic efforts so that Bangladeshi workers in those countries can get back their works once the current situation gets normal.
He also directed the envoys to ensure salaries and allowances if any worker returns to Bangladesh through their diplomatic efforts, reports UNB.
The Foreign Minister made the directives during a videoconference.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and Bangladesh ambassadors to ME countries were present.
They discussed the current situation and the impacts of coronavirus on Bangladesh nationals in 11 Middle Eastern countries.
The Foreign Minister urged the Bangladeshi envoys to continue providing food assistance to the workers.
The 11 countries are Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Libya, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Oman.
Dr Momen also urged all to follow health guidelines to avert the risk of coronavirus.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has facilitated the repatriation of over 2,000 stranded Bangladeshi citizens from China, India, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Oman and Turkey, including pilgrims, students, tourists, patients and attendants and businessmen.
The MoFA said they are fully committed to working under the overall guidance of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during the critical moment of the coronavirus outbreak.
Bangladesh missions abroad are also instructed to look after the expatriate Bangladeshi community living abroad.
Under the MoFA guidance, the Bangladesh missions abroad have established ‘Hotline Numbers’ and many missions formed ‘Pool of Doctors’ to provide online medical advice to the expatriate Bangladeshis.
MoFA has dispensed funds for Bangladesh missions abroad in coordination with the Ministry of Expatriate’s Welfare and Overseas Employment.
The Bangladesh missions distributed food and necessary items among the Bangladesh community living in different countries, particularly in the Middle East with the allocated funds.
The MoFA, in cooperation with the Army, have sent some gifts to few countries, including Bhutan, the Maldives, China, Kuwait, etc.
The MoFA established a web page titled “COMBAT CORONA” on its website for providing telemedicine services, awareness raising and disseminating COVID-19 related information which is also connected with hotlines of the Embassies.
It has also created a "WhatsApp Envoys" group through which they disseminate/communicate information instantly.'
Besides, Foreign Minister Dr Momen has sent letters to the foreign ministers or spoken over to many relevant countries and few letters have been sent jointly by the Foreign Minister and Expatriate’s Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister.
Dr Momen urged the member states of OIC to give utmost importance to the issue of job retention of domestic and resident migrant workers. He also proposed establishing an OIC Covid-19 Response and Recovery Fund.
He urged for engaging humanitarian organisations in the Member States of OIC to provide sufficient financial assistance, medical support to the Muslim migrant workers from LDCs and developing countries until the impact of the epidemic is over and also to advocate for their job retention to ensure their healthy livelihoods.
The MoFA has established a ‘Corona Coordination Cell’ headed by an Additional Foreign Secretary immediately after COVID-19 affected Bangladesh and started working closely with the Prime Minister’s Office and other relevant Ministries and agencies.
As the fatalities of the virus spread around the globe, MoFA started working in coordination with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and tourism, the Ministry of Expatriate’s Welfare and Overseas Employment, Civil Aviation Authority, Directorate General of Health, Armed Forces Division, and Immigration Department.
