DHAKA: The United Arab Emirates on Sunday signed an agreement with a view to recruiting 1000 to 2000 female domestic workers from Bangladesh every month.

The oil-rich country almost stopped issuing all kinds of entry permits for Bangladeshi passport holders bringing irregularities in the recruitment process in August, 2012.

In this regard, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) of Bangladesh and Amala, the government authorized manpower recruiting company formed through the Social Security Fund of the UAE home ministry.

Under the MoU, UAE will hire the Bangladeshi females for housemaid. Each worker will receive minimum Dh 950 equivalent to Bangladeshi Tk 19,633 per month.

A competent source with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made the disclosure on Sunday.

The source said the country has agreed to initially recruit at least 1000 female workers every month and the number could increase gradually.

Secretary to the expatriates welfare and overseas employment ministry Khondaker Showkat Hossain said the female workers would be given all protection like their safety and security, salary and allowances, safe accommodation and travel.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will also appoint a labour attaché at its embassy in Dhaka from the beginning of the next year to simplify the procedure of recruiting manpower from Bangladesh.

UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdulla Bin Zayed Al Nahyan said this when he called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the Bilateral Meeting Room of St Regis Hotel in Abu Dhabi this afternoon.

** PM visits Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

BDST: 2150 HRS, OCT 26, 2014