Staff Reporter :
Italy has expressed its keen interest to hire more manpower from Bangladesh through legal channel when huge number of the South Asian nation’s migrant workers are unemployed abroad.
The Italian ambassador Antonio Alessandro said this during a call on with Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud at the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday.
Emphasising the special relationship between Italy and Bangladesh, the envoy also mentioned that nearly 200,000 Bangladeshi expatriates currently reside in Italy and playing a significant role in the economies of both countries.
Talking on cementing relations, the foreign minister has sought cooperation in various fields, including cooperation in leather goods, automobiles, information, and communication technology.
The minister also attached importance to enhanced trade and investment cooperation, particularly through the establishment of a joint chamber of commerce.
According to the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), around 14,434 workers have been employed in various industries in Italy from Bangladesh till 20 September 2023.
Stakeholders concerned said that the Mediterranean country Italy is a lucrative destination for workers around the world and every year many people died in the sea when they attempted to enter Italy.
Among these people, there are reports of drowning of Bangladeshi citizens in the sea when they attempted to sneak into Italy crossing the Mediterranean sea.