By GEOFFREY BEW

THE fate of an organisation, aimed at promoting ties between Bangladesh and Bahrain, will not be affected by visa restrictions on the community, officials declared yesterday.

The Bahrain Bangladesh Friendship Forum (BBFF) was set up last year as part of efforts to promote business and cultural ties.

But the formation of the organisation was thrown into doubt following the Interior Ministry’s decision to restrict work permits for Bangladeshis after the death of Bahraini Mohammed Jassim Dossary.

He was allegedly murdered by a Bangladeshi mechanic during an argument last month.

Ministry officials later announced the ban would only be enforced on labourers who applied for a work visa after May 27 and would not affect anyone already here.

BBFF founding member Hussain Tadayon said a meeting would be held soon to elect the organisation’s office bearers and revealed members were determined to go ahead.

Responsible

“The recent problems brought about by the ban on Bangladeshis will not affect the formation of the forum,” said the former Bapco chief executive.

“The population of Bangladeshis may reduce, but there are about 100,000 people and it will not affect the intent of the forum, which is to promote the relationship between both nations.”

Mr Tadayon is strongly opposed to any visa restriction, which he believes will only punish the innocent.

“It was a very serious and tragic incident but we should not hold a whole community responsible for the actions of one citizen,” he said.

The BBFF is made up of Bahraini and Bangladeshi businessmen and aims to promote exchanges in trade, investment, education, research and development, technological expertise, culture, tourism and sports.

Mr Tadayon says the valuable contribution of Bangladeshis, the second largest expatriate community in Bahrain with around 90,000 people, often goes overlooked.

“A huge section of the Bahraini community consists of people from Bangladesh and we believe there is very good potential in promoting business both ways,” he told the GDN.

“I think it is an area that Bahrain has not explored and are not fully aware of the potential of the relationship.”

The forum was established by the late former Bangladesh Ambassador Ruhul Amin in June last year in one of his final tasks before he left Bahrain to become the envoy to Paris.

He later died of a stroke shortly after being posted to the country and Mr Tadayon believes setting up the organisation will be a fitting tribute to the popular ambassador. “It is because of his strength of character and interest in promoting the relationship between Bahrain and Bangladesh that the whole thing started. So it would be a fitting tribute to him,” he said.