DHAKA: Bangladesh is preparing to send 1,300 taxi and motorcycle drivers to Dubai by the end of 2024, announced the government, in response to the UAE’s plans to further expand recruitment in subsequent years.
With over 1.2 million Bangladeshi nationals already working in the UAE, the country hosts the second-largest contingent of Bangladeshi workers after Saudi Arabia. These workers are mostly engaged in sectors such as construction, manufacturing, and services, including transportation.
State Minister for Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment, Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury, and UAE Ambassador to Dhaka, Abdulla Ali Al-Hamoudi, discussed the employment of drivers on Thursday. Chowdhury noted progress following his meetings with Dubai transportation stakeholders last month, particularly with Dubai Taxi Corp.
“The UAE plans to recruit 1,300 drivers from Bangladesh this year, comprising 1,000 motorcycle drivers and 300 taxi drivers,” Chowdhury stated. He also highlighted expectations for increased recruitment in the coming years, with plans to hire at least 2,000 taxi and motorcycle drivers annually from next year onward.
Shariful Hasan, associate director of BRAC’s Migration Program, hailed the initiative as positive, noting a robust demand for Bangladeshi drivers in the Middle East. Hasan emphasized Bangladesh’s capacity to meet this demand, citing the country’s skilled workforce and its positive contribution to the region’s economy.
Highlighting the UAE’s status as Bangladesh’s top source of remittances, with $3.65 billion sent between July 2023 and April 2024, Hasan endorsed the UAE’s strategy of recruiting skilled Bangladeshi workers since 2013. He emphasized that this approach not only ensures better salaries for workers but also enhances the country’s international reputation.
“As opposed to sending large numbers of unskilled laborers annually, focusing on skilled workers benefits both countries economically and socially,” Hasan concluded.
