Oman has reached an agreement to recruit 10,000 workers from Bangladesh, specifically 5,000 agricultural labourers and 5,000 fishermen. The agreement follows a courtesy meeting held in Dhaka on Wednesday between the Bangladeshi State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shama Obaed Islam, and an Omani delegation led by Al Sayyid Mohammed Salim Ali Al Said, a member of the Omani royal family.
- 10,000 total workers to be recruited from Bangladesh
- 5,000 agricultural labourers and 5,000 fishermen included
- Omani delegation to visit Dhaka next month
An Omani team is scheduled to visit Dhaka next month to finalize the recruitment process in coordination with Bangladesh’s Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment. Fathia Ahmed Al Balushi, the chargé d'affaires of the Omani Embassy in Bangladesh, was also in attendance during the meeting. The Omani delegation acknowledged the contributions of Bangladeshi workers to the national economy and expressed interest in expanding skilled hiring in the future, while Bangladeshi officials indicated a desire for increased placements in skill-based sectors beyond agriculture and fishing.
This development marks a significant shift in diplomatic relations, as Oman had previously restricted regular visa issuance for Bangladeshi workers under the former Dhaka government. The current administration in Bangladesh is actively working to restore the labor channel to provide a legal, government-to-government pathway for job seekers, aiming to mitigate issues related to informal agents and fraudulent medical certification.
Oman's agriculture and fisheries industries, particularly in the Al Dhahirah and coastal governorates, remain highly dependent on South Asian labor. While an initial 5,000-person quota for agricultural workers had been circulating in August, this announcement confirms the expansion of that pipeline and the addition of a matching number for the fisheries sector. Stakeholders are now awaiting further details on wages, contract lengths, housing, and medical regulations to be discussed during the upcoming October delegation meeting with the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) and the Expatriates Ministry.
