The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has now become a preferred destination for Bangladeshi workers for the first time overtaking Saudi Arabia.

The country has attracted over 2,26,000 Bangladeshis in 2007, nearly 22,000 more than Saudi Arabia. The remittances received from the UAE have also hit a record approximately 1 billion US dollar, said a Foreign Ministry press release yesterday.

In a recent meeting of the labour attaches chaired by Adviser for Foreign Affairs Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, who is also in charge of the

Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, it was decided that measures would be taken to respond to the needs of the booming construction industry in the UAE and the smaller Gulf countries.

"Appropriate training modules will be introduced in our technical training centres to prepare ourselves for this growing market," the adviser said.