Dubai Taxi Company has expressed keen interest in recruiting 6,000 drivers from Bangladesh this year, with a fresh selection drive of 1,500 candidates set to begin tomorrow at the Bangladesh-Korea Technical Training Centre in Dhaka.

The development came during a courtesy call paid by a senior delegation from the Dubai Taxi Company on Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury at his ministry office on Sunday.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, the visiting delegation informed the minister that around 15,000 workers from 27 countries are currently employed as taxi and limousine drivers with their company, of whom nearly 8,000 are Bangladeshi nationals. 

They noted that recruiters give priority to Bangladeshi workers owing to their strong work ethic. The delegation also highlighted that Bangladeshi women are successfully working as drivers at Dubai Airport.

Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury thanked the delegation for their continued preference for Bangladeshi workers and assured them of full governmental support in the recruitment process. 

He urged the company to ensure that newly recruited drivers receive wages and allowances during their training period in Dubai. The minister also called on the delegation to consider hiring white-collar professionals such as doctors and nurses from Bangladesh, in addition to drivers.

State Minister Md. Nurul Haq raised concerns over the high migration costs borne by prospective drivers, noting that most of them are from low-income backgrounds and often take out loans to fund their travel. 

He specifically requested the delegation bring the total cost of migration down to within Tk 1 lakh in consideration of the workers' financial vulnerability.

Ministry Secretary Md. Mokhtar Ahmed, senior representatives of Dubai Taxi Company and Al Anas Overseas, and other senior ministry officials were present at the meeting.