UAE Firm to Recruit 6,000 Bangladeshi Drivers

A Dubai-based taxi company in the United Arab Emirates has expressed interest in recruiting 6,000 drivers from Bangladesh this year, highlighting the growing demand for skilled Bangladeshi workers in the Gulf country’s transport sector.

The announcement came during a courtesy meeting on Sunday between representatives of the company and Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Adviser Ariful Haque Chowdhury at his office in Dhaka.

During the meeting, company representatives said nearly 15,000 employees from 27 countries are currently working for the organisation, including around 8,000 Bangladeshis. They praised Bangladeshi workers for their professionalism, discipline and dedication, saying these qualities have made them a preferred workforce for the company.

The delegation also noted that Bangladeshi women are successfully working as drivers at Dubai International Airport, describing their performance as highly satisfactory.

According to the company officials, a recruitment drive to select qualified Bangladeshi drivers will begin on Monday at the Bangladesh-Korea Technical Training Centre through direct interviews. In the current phase, the company plans to recruit an additional 1,500 drivers, with a total target of 6,000 hires from Bangladesh by the end of the year.

Officials said the initiative is expected to create significant overseas employment opportunities for skilled Bangladeshi drivers at a time when demand for professional transport workers is increasing across the Middle East.

Speaking at the meeting, Ariful Haque Chowdhury expressed optimism that the recruitment of Bangladeshi workers in the UAE would continue to expand in the coming years. He assured the visiting delegation of full cooperation from the ministry to facilitate the recruitment process and ensure smoother migration procedures.

The adviser also urged the company to provide salaries and allowances to workers during their training period after arrival in Dubai, saying such support would reduce financial pressure on migrant workers during the initial adjustment phase.

In addition to drivers, he requested the company to explore opportunities for recruiting skilled professionals from Bangladesh in other sectors, including doctors, nurses and technical workers.

State Minister Md Nurul Haque, who was present at the meeting, pointed out that many Bangladeshi workers currently spend large amounts of money to secure overseas jobs, often taking loans to cover migration expenses.

He called on all stakeholders to reduce migration costs and keep the total expense for drivers travelling to Dubai within Tk100,000, saying lower migration costs would protect workers from debt burdens and reduce the risk of exploitation.

Labour migration experts say the UAE remains one of the major destinations for Bangladeshi workers, particularly in transport, construction, hospitality and service sectors. Increased recruitment from reputable companies could help generate more remittance inflows while creating safer and more structured employment opportunities abroad.