The government on Wednesday briefed diplomats of the Gulf countries and Malaysia on manpower issues highlighting ways to address problems of expatriate workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen and Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmad briefed the diplomats at State guesthouse Padma.

Ambassadors and representatives from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Iraq and acting High Commissioner of Malaysia were present at the briefing.

Kuwait Ambassador could not attend due to unavoidable circumstances as Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah died on Tuesday at the age of 91.

Dr Momen told reporters that they had a good meeting. Minister Imran Ahmad said they would get response from the countries on the discussion they had today.

"I’m always hopeful," he said. Dr Momen said they requested the countries to consider the workers issue sympathetically.

He said around 6,000 people returned to their workplaces abroad and others will also go. The foreign minister said only 137,000 Bangladeshis returned home amid the pandemic.

He said the Bangladeshis are smart and they listened to the government's call to stay back.

Oil-rich Middle-East countries and Malaysia are some of the most popular destinations for Bangladeshi workers.

Source-UNB