Bangladesh inks deal with Seychelles, ban on labour market lifted

Bangladesh has signed a deal with Seychelles to resume labour migration to the East African country.

The signing ceremony was held at the capital city Victoria on Monday.

Bangladesh expatriates welfare and overseas employment minister Imran Ahmad and Seychelles employment, immigration and civil status minister Myriam Telemaque signed the deal on behalf of their respective sides, according to a press release.

The Seychelles government temporarily suspended hiring Bangladeshi migrants in 2018.

Later, both countries showed interest to sign a deal to restore order to labour migration. A high level delegation from Seychelles visited Bangladesh in March 2019. It held a technical meeting with the expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment ministry.

At the signing ceremony, the expat minister hoped that a new window of bilateral cooperation including sending labour force was opened through the signing of the deal.

Bangladeshis staying in Seychelles thanked the minister for striking the pact.

About 2,500 Bangladeshis have been working in the East African country. Most of them are working in the construction sector. Bangladeshis are also working in hotel, tourism, health services, housekeeping, cooking, agriculture and poultry sectors.

The migrants have opportunities to work in fishing, fish industries, financial institutions and tourism sector.

Bangladeshis are one of the major sources of foreign workers for Seychelles labour market.

Expat minister Imran Ahmad joined a meeting with Bangladeshis at a local community centre on Sunday to exchange views.

Bangladeshi expatriates discussed their problems and opportunities with the minister.

Imran Ahmad asked Bangladeshi migrants to work with sincerity to uphold the image of the country.