Cabinet okays plan for new manpower deal with Qatar

Dhaka, Dec 26 (bdprem.com)—The interim cabinet Wednesday approved a proposal to sign an "additional protocol" with Qatar to boost manpower exports to the Middle Eastern country, the government said in a statement. The Press Information Department in the statement said that more Bangladeshi workers would get scope to work in Qatar, once the protocol is signed. Your Ad Here Bangladesh signed an agreement with the country in 1988 for manpower exports. "The previous deal will get a momentum thanks to the additional protocol," the statement said. The decision came as the council of advisers sat in a meeting at the Chief Adviser's Office, chaired by Fakhruddin Ahmed. The meeting was told that there was a possibility of signing the protocol during a planned visit of Qatar's labour and social affairs minister in the first week of January, according to the statement. Wednesday's meeting also decided to increase the postal cost from next year, the PID said. From Jan 1, the prices of an envelope for domestic use will increase by Tk 1 to Tk 3 and the prices of a postcard were reset at Tk 1.5 from Tk 1, it said. For overseas services, additional 20 percent of the actual postal cost would be charged from the day, it said. The meeting discussed two laws related to the protection of the environment. The meeting also reviewed administrative steps against the theft of two rare Vishnu statues from Zia International Airport, en route to France.