Over 225,000 Bangladeshis migrated to Saudi Arabia in the first half of 2023 Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia launched a Skill Verification Program earlier this year DHAKA: Bangladeshi recruiters said on Monday they are eager to tap into opportunities in Saudi Arabia, as they prepare to train workers to fill vacancies in the Kingdom. More than 225,000 Bangladeshis migrated to Saudi Arabia in the first half of 2023, according to official data, continuing a trend from 2022 when employers in the Kingdom hired more than half of the Asian country’s migrant workers. Under a Skill Verification Program launched by the two countries earlier this year, which is aimed at improving the professional competence of employees in the Saudi labor market, the Kingdom is set to recruit skilled workers from Bangladesh. “According to the agreement signed earlier this year, the Kingdom asked for a more skilled workforce,” Shameem Ahmed Chowdhury Noman, secretary-general of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies, told Arab News. “We are working on this, and the process is ongoing to prepare certified skilled workers through more than 150 technical training centers we have across the country,” he said. “It’s a huge task that requires building more infrastructure, employing the trainers, etc. So, it takes some time to execute.” Noman said collaboration between the public and private sector is key to “accelerate the process and tap into the opportunities.” “Employers in Saudi Arabia rely more on our migrants because we have been sending migrants to the Kingdom for around 45 years. It created good branding for our migrant workers in the Kingdom,” he said. “Now, we should prepare our workers and focus on more value-added jobs.” Saudi Arabia was also the top source of remittances to Bangladesh in the 2022-2023 fiscal year, with workers bringing in nearly $3.8 billion, according to a report published earlier this month by the Bangladesh Bank. Abdul Motaleb, who is from Cumilla city about 100 kilometers from Dhaka, is among those preparing to find a job in Saudi Arabia. The 29-year-old is following in his cousins’ footsteps, who have been working in Jeddah for a few years. “My cousins suggested acquiring some skills as it will offer me better income,” Motaleb told Arab News. He is now taking courses, and will be certified in another three months. “I got enrolled in a technical training center and am learning about welding skills as the Kingdom is in need of huge skilled workers to build new cities,” he said. For 24-year-old Nazmul Ahsan, Saudi Arabia was his first choice when looking for opportunities abroad. “I don’t have enough opportunities in my hometown. So, seeking a job as a migrant worker is the best opportunity I could think of,” Ahsan told Arab News. “Saudi Arabia is my first choice as it’s holy land for me as a Muslim.” Ahsan said he has contacted an overseas recruitment agency in Dhaka, which helped him secure a job in the Kingdom. “I have been told that I got a job as a mason,” he said. “I hope to get the visa in hand by next month.”