Russian shipbuilders hiring Bangladeshis for the first time

Highlights:

• The migration cost for workers going to Russia would be about Tk42000 each,

• The salary would vary from Tk 65,000-85,000 depending on skills and experience.

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• Russia is not among the top 30 remittance-sourcing countries for Bangladesh

The Russian shipbuilding industry is seeking to hire skilled manpower from Bangladesh for the first time in history.

The move comes after the world's largest country is reportedly having difficulties in sourcing foreign parts and equipment for civilian vessels amid the war with Ukraine and President Vladimir Putin hinted at strengthening the country's shipbuilding industry.  

A number of interested Russian companies have already contacted Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL) in this regard.

Some 100 workers with high efficiency and experience in shipbuilding have been sought initially by multiple Russian companies, according to a BOESL notice. 

The notice also mentioned that the companies are mainly interested to hire workers for Scaffolding (builder), Hull Fitter (metal vessels), Marine Machine Fitter, Marine Pipe Fitter, and Welding, 

An official of BOESL, on condition of anonymity, told The Business Standard that the demand for workers is likely to increase gradually.

BOESL Managing Director Dr Mallick Anwar Hossain recently told journalists, "Once we enter the [Russian shipbuilding] market, many people can be employed there and we are trying for that."

"We have so many people working in the shipbuilding industry in Bangladesh. Besides, many skilled people are coming out with training from different institutes of marine technology. So, it will be a good opportunity for them," he added.

Bangladesh has a total of six marine technology institutes, offering a significant number of aspirants training in skills development every year.

Many Bangladeshi workers are currently working in the shipbuilding industry of Singapore. After Singapore, Russia is going to be another promising destination for Bangladeshi shipbuilding workers, stakeholders said.

According to BOESL sources, the interested candidates should have a minimum of six months of working experience in the international shipbuilding industry of South Korea, Singapore, or any other country.

The migration cost for workers going to Russia would be about Tk42,000 each including the BOESL service charge, and the salary would vary from Tk65,000-85,000 (38,850-50,000 Russian ruble) depending on skills and experience.

However, the airfare, accommodation and transportation costs in Russia will be borne by the employers while the food expenses have to be managed with the workers' own arrangements.

The selected candidates have to work in extreme cold with temperatures ranging from -11 to -30 degrees Celsius for three to five months each year.

Interested candidates will be able to apply for the jobs online using the link provided on the BOESL website.  

In September last year, Bangladesh Ambassador to the Russian Federation Kamrul Ahsan requested the Governor of the eastern Russian city of Vladivostok to recruit skilled manpower from Bangladesh in the shipbuilding industry of Vladivostok, which belongs to the Primorsky region.

At that time, the ambassador also mentioned that more than 60,000 Bangladeshi workers are currently working with efficiency and reputation in the shipbuilding industry of Singapore alone.

Currently, there are some 20 international and 100 local shipyards and dockyards in Bangladesh that build nearly 100 vessels a year. 

More than 150,000 skilled and semi-skilled workers are employed in this labour-intensive sector and an estimated 20 lakh people are directly or indirectly involved in the industry.

Russia is not a typical labour migration destination for Bangladeshis but many students migrate to the country for higher education.

Since 1972, Bangladeshi students have been receiving scholarships under the Russian State Scholarship scheme. So far about 6,000 Bangladeshi students have graduated from different universities in Russia. 

Russia to enforce its shipbuilding industry amid parts supply crunch

President Vladimir Putin recently said Russian shipbuilding companies have faced difficulties with supplies of foreign equipment and component parts for civilian vessels, reports Russia's state-owned news agency Tass.

"The reason is known, it is the failure of foreign partners to honour their commitments, in view of purely political time-serving, momentary considerations and causes," he said during a meeting, via videoconference, on the shipbuilding industry development on 18 August.

"In general, let me stress that, as you know, the situation in the world and the actions of our Western partners have shown once again that we need to be proactive in developing our own competencies in shipbuilding," he said.

"It is impossible to substitute every imported part, and there is no need to do this, but it is necessary to achieve technological sovereignty in critical positions of ship equipment, and in the most significant production processes and technologies," Putin said. 

"We need to make sure that as many operations as possible to equip, retrofit and repair ships are carried out in Russia," the Russian president added.