Kuwait denies recruiting Bangladeshi security forces

By Faisal Yasser

KUWAIT CITY (AA) – The Kuwaiti Interior Ministry on Wednesday denied reports that the country was recruiting security personnel from Bangladesh.

In a statement, the ministry said it had hired 293 Bangladeshi "professionals" within the context of a recent protocol signed between both countries’ defense ministries.

Under the terms of the protocol, Kuwait will employ 350 Bangladeshi professionals annually for the next three years.

According to the Interior Ministry, the Bangladeshi "professionals" were hired to provide Kuwaiti security institutions with "logistical and technical support".

On Wednesday, photos of Bangladeshi nationals wearing security uniforms in Kuwait were widely shared on social-media websites.

The ministry, however, has stressed that the foreign professionals are not permitted to leave their premises while wearing security uniforms.

According to the ministry, four Kuwaiti officers have been tasked with supervising the Bangladeshi professionals.

"The photos circulated on social media show officers and technicians," read the ministry statement.

Earlier this year, the Kuwaiti authorities hired a British firm to improve airport security throughout the small oil-rich kingdom.