Staff Reporter :
Experts at a seminar on Saturday called for expanding Arabic language learning for boosting remittances from Middle-Eastern countries.
“Our migrant workers are deprived of many privileges in Middle-Eastern countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait as they are unable to speak and understand Arabic language,” said Dr. Mohammad Abdul Majid, former chairman of National Board of Revenue (NBR) and chairman of Social Development Foundation (SDF).
He said if the Bangladeshi migrant workers learn Arabic moderately before going to Arab countries their wages must be hiked along with other privileges.
Bangladesh Quran Publicity Foundation organized the event at the National Press Club.
“Before going to the Middle Eastern countries, our remittance warriors have to learn Arabic language adequately. Learning only ‘Kaifa Haluka, Ana bil Khair’ (How are you? I’m fine) is not enough,” Dr. Abdul Majid said.
An aspirant migrant worker has to learn Arabic well so that he can speak, write and understand the language moderately.
“In this matter, our manpower has to be sincere enough. Awareness should be created among the people of our country over learning Arabic well,” the SDF Chairman said.
Tamjidur Rahman, former Deputy Chief Engineer of Bangladesh Biman and Chief Adviser of Bangladesh Quran Publicity Foundation, presided over the event.
Dr. Muhammad Abul Hasan, former Director of Population Research and Training Institute (NIPORT), former Economic Councilor and Minister of Bangladesh Embassy in Saudi Arabia presented the key note.
Professor Mohammad Shahidul Islam, Vice-Chancellor of Islamic Arabic University, Professor Zubair Muhammad Ehsanul Haque, Chairman of Arabic Department at Dhaka University, Nurul Islam Khalifa, Independent Director and Chairman, Executive Committee Global Islami Bank, Abdul Awal Sarkar former Executive Director of Bangladesh Bank, among others, spoke at the event.
The experts said it is a very important matter to equip our manpower with Arabic language to boost remittance earning from Arabian countries.
They said sending manpower to Middle-Eastern countries without teaching Arabic meant less remittance earning out of the huge potentials.