Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has urged Spain to employ Bangladeshis as Madrid will need ‘seasonal workers’ for agriculture in the summer season.
He made the request when outgoing Spanish Ambassador Álvaro de Salas Giménez de Azcárate paid his farewell call on the minister at his office, the foreign ministry said.
Dr Momen requested the Ambassador “to consider employing seasonal workers from Bangladesh as they have already expertise in the agriculture sector.”
He commended Spanish government’s efforts to curb the spread of COVID19 pandemic, and also apprised the Ambassador of the government of Bangladesh’s “timely and effective” policies in this regard.
The Ambassador informed that many people died of COVID19 in Spain, and its tourism sector has been hit hard by COVID19, leaving many people jobless.
“However, Spain will need seasonal workers for agriculture in the summer season,” he said, according to the foreign ministry.
The foreign minister reiterated Bangladesh’s commitment to combat the devastating effects of climate change.
He recalled the visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to attend the COP25 in Madrid in December 2019. The Foreign Minister and Spanish Ambassador, both expressed that arrangement of VVIP level visits between Bangladesh and Spain may elevate existing bilateral relations to a newer height.
Mentioning the existing investment-friendly schemes of Bangladesh, Foreign Minister called for more investments from Spain as well as sharing expertise, especially in the energy and tourism sector with Bangladesh.
He mentioned that Bangladesh has exported 6.5 million PPE to the USA as well as supplied medicines, such as Remdesivir, Hydroxychloroquine to some countries during COVID-19 pandemic.
Spain may rely on Bangladesh if PPE and other pharmaceutical products related to prevention/treatment COVID-19 need to be imported.
Dr Momen also thanked Spanish government’s continued support for the Rohingya issue.
He further appealed for imposing economic sanction on Myanmar by the international community so that Myanmar abides by its commitment for safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation of the Rohingya people.
The Spanish Ambassador expressed his gratitude for the all-out support extended during his tenure in Dhaka.
The Foreign Minister wished him success in his future assignments.
