Cabinet approves draft deal to send health workers to Maldives

The cabinet today approved a draft agreement to send health workers to the Maldives from Bangladesh.

The draft deal was approved at a virtual cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday.

"It is an agreement with the Maldivian government to hire our qualified health professionals," said Cabinet Secretary Khandaker Anwarul Islam confirming the matter at a press briefing after the meeting.

"We have had an MoU for a long time through which different categories of healthcare workers used to go to the Maldives. Now, the country wants to extend the MoU till 2024 by turning it into an agreement," the cabinet secretary said adding that an agreement will ensure legal bindings since in the case of an MoU there is no such obligation.

He noted that the Maldives would hire qualified health professionals, clinical specialists, public health specialists, dental surgeons, nurses and other auxiliary staff.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina is set to visit the Maldives on a two-day official tour from December 22 to 23 in a bid to boost bilateral relations with the South Asian country.