Dhaka, July 4 -- Saudi Arabia, the largest destination for Bangladeshi migrant workers, has recently introduced a mandatory skills certification requirement for most work visa categories, significantly complicating the migration process.

Effective from 19 June, the Saudi embassy in Dhaka has enforced the rule under the kingdom's Skill Verification Programme, with domestic workers being the only exception.

Over the past five months, approximately 71 per cent of Bangladeshi overseas workers have migrated to Saudi Arabia, underscoring the kingdom's central role in Bangladesh's labour export strategy.

However, the sudden enforcement of this new regulation has disrupted the flow of migrant workers and increased migration costs for thousands...