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The North African country Libya will cooperate with Bangladesh in preventing irregular migration and creating new job opportunities for workers from here.
It will also help protect the rights of Bangladeshi nationals employed there and resolve complications over sending remittance back home and ensure their security.
The two capitals - Dhaka and Tripoli - signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to this end on Wednesday, reads a press release issued by the expatriates welfare ministry on Thursday.
Libyan minister for labour and rehabilitation Ali Al-Abed Al-Rida and his Bangladesh counterpart minister Imran Ahmad signed the MoU in Tripoli on behalf of their respective countries.
The previous bilateral agreement regarding the recruitment of workers from Bangladesh expired long ago as it was signed in 2008.
As per the new instrument, a preliminary agreement will be signed between employers and workers specifying benefits of workers, especially salary, working hours, accommodation, food, leave and service benefits.
Workers coming to Libya can be informed about these benefits and privileges while staying in the country.
In addition, the visa process will be simplified through the best use of information technology in the recruitment process.
Employers or companies will bear the cost of their recruited workers to come to Libya and return home at the end of their contract period.
Prior to the signing of the MoU, expatriates' welfare and overseas employment minister Imran Ahmad held a bilateral meeting with his Libyan counterpart.
At the meeting, Mr Ahmad said since there was no instrument for the recruitment of workers from Bangladesh to Libya, various quarters were taking this opportunity to exploit workers.
As a result, Bangladeshi workers were going through acts of fraudulence and complications, he added.
"The signing of the MoU creates a legal framework through which it will be possible to ensure the rights of Bangladeshi workers."
"At the same time, the workers employed in Libya will be covered by social security and medical insurance," added Mr Ahmad.
According to the minister, a high-level national committee has been formed from the Prime Minister's Office in Libya to regularise foreign workers living illegally in Libya.
Priority will be given to Bangladeshis in this process, he said.
Mr Ahmad urged the Libyan government to ensure that the employers bear all the costs, starting from visa collection for workers arriving in Libya.
He also drew attention of Mr Al-Rida to simplify the process of regularising Bangladeshi workers in Libya and to remove the complexity of remitting money through banking channels.
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