DHAKA, Oct 7, 2020 (BSS) – Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen today
said Saudi Arabia has decided to renew expired visas of Bangladeshi
expatriate workers, those were stuck here due to the COVID-19
pandemic, till October 30.
“Good news. Saudi government has extended visa for our expatriate
laborers till October 30th,” he told journalists in a WhatsApp message
this evening.
The Saudi government has so far extended the validity of Iqama (work
permit) for Bangladesh citizens, who got stuck here due to COVID-19,
fourth times and the last one was supposed to be expired on October
17.
The Bangladeshi workers who came here to visit their families before
the outbreak of coronavirus and later stuck due to the global lockdown
have started to return to their workplaces in the oil-rich gulf nation
after resumption of flights between Dhaka and Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabian mission here has also started visa renewal process
for those whose valid visas have already been expired amid the
pandemic.
Earlier, Bangladesh has requested Saudi Arabia to extend tenures of
valid visas and Iqama of expatriate Bangladeshi workers.
“The Saudi government has assured us that they would further extend
Iqama duration for rest of the stranded Bangladeshi nationals here,”
Dr Momen said last week.
The Saudi civil aviation authority has given landing permission for
flights of Biman Bangladesh Airlines from October 1 last while
Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority gave approval to Saudi Arabian
airlines to operate flight on Saudi Arabia-Dhaka-Saudi Arabia as many
as they can to ensure return of the Bangladeshi citizens.