Terror attacks will not affect Bangladesh manpower export, says minister

Bangladesh's Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Nurul Islam on Thursday said that manpower export to different countries will not be affected by the recent militant attacks in the Gulshan and Sholakia areas of the country.

"Even the incident of imprisonment of four Bangladeshi workers by a Singapore court for financing terrorism will not affect the country's manpower export," the Daily Star quoted Islam, as saying.

His comments came in the wake of the July 1 attack at Holey Artisan Bakery where 20 people including foreigners were killed after a group of militants stormed into the cafe and took them hostage.

Two policemen and six militants were also killed in the 12-hour long siege.

Days after the cafe attack, four people including two policemen were killed in another attack near Sholakia Eidgah where hundreds of thousands had gathered for Eid congregation on July 7.

On being asked about the Human Rights Watch report on Bangladeshi migrant domestic workers "trapped" in Oman, Islam said there here was no formal complaint in Oman on the issue.

He said the government will soon send a team to Saudi Arabia and Lebanon to assess the overall situation of Bangladeshi workers there.

He added that Bangladesh government this year has sent over seven lakh migrant workers to different countries and will be capable of sending around eight lakh workers next year.