Noting that unregularised workers may be more easily exploited, Vice President of the Maldives Faisal Naseem has sought support from the relevant ministry in regularising all Bangladeshi workers in the Maldives.

At a meeting with Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmad on Tuesday, the Vice President detailed the Maldives goal to regularise all themes expatriate workers in the Maldives at the earliest.

They also discussed partnerships for technical training and skills development programmes as well as exchange programmes to help employees build critical skills.

The Vice President first met Salman F Rahman, Advisor to the Prime Minister, and discussed the current situation in the Maldives and Bangladesh following the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on both countries.

The Vice President highlighted the Maldives' priority to improve decentralised healthcare, and the ensure the need for further technical and vocational training as well as higher education opportunities to specialise in different areas of the healthcare systems.

They also discussed opportunities to collaborate in the provision of pharmaceutical products to the Maldives.

Faisal Naseem then met State Minister for Youth and Sports Zahid Ahsan Russel.

They discussed plans to initiate talks to exchange further agreements for bilateral sports development, athlete exchanges, special training camps for athletes and agreements to provide expert assistance in various areas of the sports sector.

The State Minister praised the performance by Dheena, the 14-year-old Maldivian girl who won the gold medal for the Maldives during the 2019 Indian Ocean Island Games (IOIG), noting the potential of youth athletes in the Maldives.

The Vice President discussed the reinvigoration of cricket in the Maldives, stating that an all-star Bangladeshi cricket team coming to play in the Maldives would draw the attention of sports-oriented youths and individuals towards cricket.

He also met Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni.

The Vice President noted during the meeting that the Maldives required assistance from the Bangladeshi government to further improve education opportunities to specialise in fields such as healthcare and engineering, and in building technical expertise for creating standard practices at educational regulatory bodies.

Additionally, they discussed scholarship opportunities for Maldivian students from Bangladeshi institutions.

Following the meetings with the Advisor to the Prime Minister and cabinet members, the Vice President met Salahuddin Kasem Khan, Chairman of the South East Asian Foundation (SEACO), where he accepted the letter offering a scholarship opportunity for two underprivileged Maldivian students at Chittagong University.

He also met Prof. Dr Md. Sultan Mahmud, Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Asia Pacific, and accepted the offer of a fully- sponsored scholarship for one Maldivian student and a partial fee waiver for one more Maldivian student.

Following this, the Vice President met Rajiv Prasad Shaha, the Managing Director of Kumudini Welfare Trust, and accepted the Offer of Special Scholarship for five Maldivian students for Bachelors of Dentistry (BDS) and two Maldivian students for Master of Science (MSc) in Nursing.

The Vice President is accompanied on his current official visit to Bangladesh by a delegation of cabinet ministers and high-level officials from the President's Office and the government.