Embassies asked to be watchful, helpful

Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina yesterday directed the country's missions abroad to be fully active in solving the problems of Bangladeshi expatriates.
She also instructed the ministries concerned to keep watch on activities of the Bangladeshi embassies, high commissions and consulate offices to keep them on stream.
The PM made the directives at the cabinet meeting held at Bangladesh Secretariat in the morning, two days after her return from Saudi Arabia.
The cabinet, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, also approved in principal eight proposed bills following which the prime minister will no more be chancellor of seven public universities.
At present, out of a total of 31 public universities in the country, Hasina is the chancellor of seven--Kushtia Islamic University, National University, Bangladesh Open University, Sher-e-Bangla Agriculture University, Jagannath University, National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam University (Mymensingh) and Sylhet Agricultural University.
Besides, Terrestrial Telecast Facilities Preservation for Bangladesh Television Act 2009 was approved by the cabinet, exclusively reserving the right to the state-run Bangladesh Television (BTV).
PM's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad at a post-meeting briefing at the PID conference centre said BTV will continue to get terrestrial facilities as it is a state institution.
The BTV will use the terrestrial facilities for the spread of education, the flourishing of culture and heritage and disseminating development message to the people. "Others will not get the facility," Azad said.
"If necessary, BTV will launch another separate channel to telecast parliamentary activities and educational programmes," Azad quoted the PM as saying.
Addressing her colleagues at the first cabinet meeting after returning from Saudi Arabia, Hasina said Bangladeshi expatriates in Makkah in public raised various allegations against the ambassador and officials of the Bangladesh embassy and consulate office over there.
"Not only from Saudi Arabia, from many other countries we have received allegation of neglect of duty against embassy officials," Azad quoted Hasina as saying.
The PM said the embassy and consulate officials should change their attitude and mentality and concentrate on well being of the expatriates whose hard-earned money keeps the country's economy vibrant.
Hasina informed the cabinet about pros and cons of her April 21-25 visit to Saudi Arabia.
She expressed her happiness as the Saudi government has settled the problem related to transfer of iqama (work permit).
On April 21, the Saudi King and the Saudi Foreign Minister in Riyadh informed the PM that their cabinet had decided to allow transfer of iqama of the expatriates.
The PM also informed the meeting that she sought lands in Makkah and Madina to set up dormitories for accommodation of hajj pilgrims from Bangladesh.
Taking the problem of education of the expatriates' children in Saudi Arabia into account, she further said the government would take initiatives to establish two schools in Makkah and Madinah.