22 lakh Bangladeshis in KSA to get medical service over chat app

The government yesterday launched a call centre for the 22 lakh Bangladeshi expatriates who are currently living in Saudi Arabia, through which they can avail medical services using the instant messaging smartphone app Imo.

The service was launched through a virtual press conference organised by the ICT Division, where foreign minister AK Abdul Momen and expatriates' welfare and overseas employment minister Imran Ahmad also spoke.

The service is free for all Bangladeshis living in Saudi Arabia, and was launched on Imo because it is a popular communication medium in the Gulf country.

The government's Access to Information (a2i) programme has designed the model of the call centre, named Probash Bondhu, which will be run by Synesis IT.

Five Imo numbers (+8801400611995, +8801400611996, +8801400611997, +8801400611998, +8801958105020) were announced at the programme, along with a hotline (+8809611999111) where Bangladeshi expats can call from 9am to 9pm, seven days in a week.

Apart from medical service, expats can also avail other services from here, government officials said. "We plan to also run this after the Covid-19 situation is over," said Zunaid Ahmed Palak, state minister for ICT.

Already some 50 Saudi Arabia expatriate doctors have joined the service to support Bangladeshis, and 250 others have also showed interest.

Imran Ahmad termed it a groundbreaking service for expatriates, adding that gradually, this type of service can be opened for other countries where a huge number of Bangladesh citizens live.

Abdul Momen urged expatriates to stay safe and be patient. "We know lot of you have lost of your job, but our kind request to you is to have patience, and you will get a job soon after the situation improves. But if you come back, then it will be tough to return to that country and get a new job," Momen added.

Secretaries of three ministries also spoke on the occasion, while the Bangladesh ambassador to Saudi Arabia and related offices in Dhaka also joined the event virtually.