Mentioning that the employment situation in different countries, especially in the oil-dependent Middle Eastern states, might not remain the same as before due to the pandemic, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said her government was working to explore alternative labour markets and send workers there.

"New labour markets are being explored through the [Bangladesh] embassies in this regard. In the present situation, it is not possible to send labourers temporarily to South East Asian countries, including South Korea and Singapore. However, sending workers to Middle Eastern countries has started at the desired level," she told parliament while replying to a query from Jatiya Party MP Shameem Haider Patwari.

About alternative labour markets, the PM said 50 Bangladeshi workers obtained Romanian work visas in October last year and another 260 work visas was under process by the Romanian government.

https://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/news/labour-market-govt-now-looking-alternatives-2031285