State Minister for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, Shofiqur Rahman Choudhury, urged the UK government to ease visa conditions for Bangladeshi workers seeking employment in the UK's hospitality and catering sectors.
Shofiqur Rahman Choudhury made the appeal while speaking as the chief guest at a high-profile dialogue hosted on Thursday (25 April) by the UK's All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Bangladesh, reads a press release.
The event featured speeches from Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem, Bob Blackman MP, and APPG Vice-Chair Lord Karan Bilimoria. Rushanara Ali, Chair of the APPG on Bangladesh, chaired the dialogue.
The state minister praised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her visionary leadership in transforming Bangladesh into a prosperous nation, as well as her government's ongoing efforts to improve the well-being and welfare of Bangladeshis living around the world, including those in the UK.
He also noted that the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and the UK have reached new heights in the last 15 years due to the progressive foreign policy of her government. However, he stated that there are still many areas to be explored to further broaden and deepen the long-standing historic relations between Bangladesh and the UK.
He particularly highlighted that Bangladeshi restaurants in various UK cities and towns are grappling with severe shortages of skilled staff due to the UK's increase in the minimum annual salary to £3800, an amount that many restaurant owners find unaffordable.
The state minister urged the UK Government to lower the minimum annual salary for workers in the hospitality sector. He also proposed that Bangladesh could supply skilled construction and farm workers who could serve as seasonal workers in the UK.
Expressing hope for collaboration, the state minister anticipated that the Bangladesh Government and the UK government would work together to generate more job opportunities for Bangladeshi skilled workers, including restaurant staff, doctors, and nurses.
High Commissioner Saida Muna Tasneem has stated that the Bangladesh High Commission in London is actively working to create more job opportunities for skilled Bangladeshi workers in the UK.
She noted that many caregivers from Bangladesh have been recruited in the UK over the past few years. Additionally, the recruitment of seasonal farm workers from Bangladesh has also commenced.
Rushanara Ali delivered a welcoming speech at the event, praising the state minister for his contribution to strengthening the bond between the British-Bangladeshi community and their homeland, Bangladesh.
The event was attended by high-ranking UK parliamentary officials and prominent members of the British-Bangladeshi community.
Earlier, the state minister attended an event organized by the British Bangladeshi Chamber of Commerce.
