Biz-Econ

Learning Arabic vital for boosting remittances: Experts

Public awareness on the importance of learning Arabic is essential to boost remittances from the Middle East, where many Bangladeshi workers miss out on opportunities due to language barriers, according to experts. 

Mohammad Abdul Majeed, Chairman of the Social Development Foundation and former National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman, urged for a concerted focus on Arabic language education to maximize the potential of Bangladeshi expatriates.

Speaking as the chief guest at a seminar titled "Boosting Employment in the Middle East to Increase Remittance Flow," organised by the Bangladesh Quran Promotion Foundation at the National Press Club on Saturday (November 2), Majeed emphasised the need for structured Arabic education. 

"Our workers need to go beyond basic phrases like ‘Kaifa Haluka’, ‘Ana Bi Khair’,” he said. 

“They should be able to read, write, and fully understand Arabic. Teaching Arabic before deployment would enhance their job prospects, social status, and financial stability."

Majeed also pointed to inefficiencies in the current management of Bangladesh’s human resources, citing that the Technical Education Board has trained thousands, but many certified individuals either haven't gone abroad or lack the skills to thrive in competitive job markets.

He noted that Bangladeshi workers often hold subordinate roles under Pakistanis and Sri Lankans in the Middle East, partly due to language barriers. "Knowing Arabic helps others bond with employers and secure higher positions, whereas our workers remain at the bottom tier,” Majeed said.

Adding to the discussion, Dr Abdul Mannan, Chairman of First Security Islami Bank, highlighted remittance as one of the key pillars of Bangladesh’s economy, along with garments and rural development. 

"Expatriates are our ‘remittance fighters.’ Despite our national independence, true economic freedom remains elusive, often leading us to negotiate with the IMF, World Bank, and other international organizations,” he said.

The seminar, chaired by Tamjidur Rahman, Chief Adviser of the Bangladesh Quran Promotion Foundation, featured a keynote by Dr Md Abul Hasan, former Economic Council Member at the Bangladesh Embassy in Saudi Arabia. 

Other prominent speakers included Professor Mohammad Shahidul Islam, Vice-Chancellor of Islamic Arabic University; Professor Zubair Muhammad Ehsanul Haque, Chair of Dhaka University’s Arabic Department; Nurul Islam Khalifa, Chairman of the Global Islami Bank Executive Committee; and Abdul Awal Sarkar, former Executive Director of Bangladesh Bank.