DHAKA: Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) balked at government decision fixing immigration cost for labourers and made a plea for an extra 80 percent raise on top of the rate set by the regulator.  

The government has fixed Tk 84,000 as total cost for a job-seeker wishing to go to countries like Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Qatar, Kuwait and Malaysia.

But the BAIRA has proposed the cost should be more or less Tk 1.5 lakh, depending on countries.

They have proposed separate rates for different countries and sent their proposal to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry.

According to the proposal, an unskilled labour will have to count Tk 1.5 lakh while semi-skilled will have to pay Tk 1.4 lakh to go to Saudi Arabia.

For the UAE, the rate has been proposed between Tk 1.4 lakh and Tk 1.5 lakh.

Besides, they proposed separate rates for Libya and Iraq. As new labour market has opened in Iraq, the BAIRA proposed a cost between Tk 1.3 lakh and Tk 1.4 lakh for unskilled and semi-skilled workers.

Secretary-general of BAIRA Ali Haidar told banglanews24.com.bd their proposal was made in accordance with the rates charged in neighbouring countries.

“We will fix the rate after consultation,” he added.

When contacted, Secretary of the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Employment Ministry Dr. Jafor Ahmed Khan told banglanews24.com.bd that they will take a decision after consultation.

According to the Bureau of Manpower, some two thousand Bangladeshis go abroad each day through legal channel for jobs.

Only 3 percent of them are occupation-based immigrants, including doctors and engineers. Some 30 percent labourers were skilled while 17 percent semi -skilled and 50 percent unskilled.

BDST: 1950 HRS, 18 AUGUST 2010