Bangladesh, Pakistan agree to expand labor cooperation
Ministers from both nations discuss joint training, skills exchange, and labor mobility to strengthen workforce readiness across Islamic countries
DOHA/DHAKA (MNTV) — Bangladesh and Pakistan have agreed to strengthen collaboration in the labor and employment sector, pledging to expand training, skills exchange, and migration systems to meet growing global workforce demands.
The understanding was reached during a bilateral meeting between Bangladesh’s Labor and Employment Adviser M Sakhawat Hossain and Pakistan’s Labour Minister Faisal Ayub Khokhar on the sidelines of the Sixth Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Labour Ministers’ Conference in Doha, Qatar. The ministers also discussed improving air and sea connectivity to promote trade, tourism, and cultural ties.
According to The Daily Star, both sides emphasized the importance of coordinated efforts to address challenges in overseas employment markets and ensure fair recruitment practices for migrant workers.
The two ministers agreed that stronger technical collaboration and regular dialogue could help modernize labour migration systems and align workforce training with global standards.
Hossain called for greater cooperation among OIC member states to protect migrant workers’ rights and share expertise in digital labour management. Khokhar, meanwhile, underlined the need for cross-border training initiatives and improved mechanisms for labour data exchange.
Officials from both countries said discussions also covered joint projects on human resource development and vocational education to prepare workers for shifting global demand, especially in construction, manufacturing, and service industries.
Senior representatives from Bangladesh’s labour ministry and embassy in Qatar attended the meeting, where participants stressed that labour mobility should be viewed as an economic partnership rather than a one-way migration flow.
The two-day OIC conference, themed “Local Experience, Global Achievements: Success Stories in the Islamic World,” brought together labour ministers, international organisations, and civil society representatives from across member states to share strategies for inclusive employment growth.
Analysts say the renewed Dhaka–Islamabad cooperation marks a pragmatic shift toward workforce diplomacy, as both countries seek to secure better conditions for millions of their citizens working abroad — a cornerstone of their economies.
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