Dhaka: As the government has intensified efforts to diversify its labour market abroad, Thailand offers a bright prospect where Bangladesh may have an access soon to two areas— deep sea fisheries and construction sectors.

Both the countries are now in negotiations to finalise a memorandum of understanding (MoU) as Thailand is looking for bridging its labour gap by recruiting migrant workers from a number of countries, including Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Thailand Saida Muna Tasneem recently met Thai Labour Minister Surasak Karnjanarat at the Thai Ministry of Labour seeking to expedite the signing of the MoU between the governments of Bangladesh and Thailand.

‘At this point we’re in a process to form two joint working groups which will discuss specific issues giving a final shape to the MoU as the entire process started afresh with the change in government in Thailand,’ Ambassador Tasneem told UNB.

She mentioned that the Thai authorities assured Bangladesh of finalising the proposed MoU at the earliest for the recruitment of Bangladeshi sea fishery and construction workers in Thai industries.

The envoy said the two governments are yet to finalise any modus operandi regarding the role of recruiting agencies as all these issues will be sorted out once the negotiations start.  

She, however, mentioned that the present government is committed to the G2G process, aiming to minimise exploitation and cost of migration.

Both sides are laying emphasis on removing exploitation and a significant reduction in migration cost.

Responding to a query, the envoy said Thailand is primarily keen to have workers for two areas - ‘deep sea fisheries and construction sectors’.  

‘We’re trying our best to diversify sectors going beyond the box,’ she said adding that she has handed over a list of expertise of Bangladeshi workers to Thai Permanent Labour Secretary Jirasak Sugandhajati mentioning various sectors that include services, industrial and hospitality sectors.

She said they have not yet discussed the number of workers to be recruited from Bangladesh. ‘Opening of the market is very important. So, we say, let’s start.’

Ambassador Tasneem said there will be a secretary-level meeting between the two countries next month in which manpower export issue, among others, will get importance.

However, Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (Baira) is trying to take the lead in exporting manpower to Thailand going beyond G2G initiative.

Though primarily Thailand wants workers for their fisheries and construction sectors, Baira Mohammed Abul Basher said they are looking for access to other sectors, too.

Thailand is currently regularising around 1.6 million undocumented workers from Asean countries, including Myanmar, Cambodia and Lao PDR.

Once the process is completed, they will initiate the recruitment of foreign workers from non-Asean countries subject to market demand.

On exploring other markets, Baira senior vice president Ali Haider Chowdhury said Bangladesh needs to go for alternative markets. European countries and Japan should be considered under the initiative, he said.

‘We’ll do whatever is needed if the ministry concerned directs us. Private sector is always ready to help,’ he added.

Baira president Abul Basher said their efforts are on to find alternative markets coming out of the traditional one.

He, however, expressed satisfaction over the manpower export flow. ‘The trend is better than that of previous year.’

The Baira chief also said the manpower export flow could have been better had there been stability in countries like Libya, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

According to Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), some 51,71,453 Bangladeshis got jobs abroad in the last 10 years (November 2004- October 2014).