Manpower exports witnessed a record rise over the last nine years as the country sent more than 5.8 million workers abroad between 2009 and October 2018.
During the period the country received over $132.24 billion in remittances.
“We have sent over 5.8 million (58,14000) workers abroad with jobs and received around $132.24 billion in remittances till October, 2018 from 2009,” said Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Nurul Islam.
Nurul Islam said the government sent over 1.0 million workers abroad in the last year as the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took various realistic initiatives to manpower export, reports BSS.
“The present government has been able to send workers to 169 countries as a result of its successful labour diplomacy. The four-party alliance government had sent workers to only 69 countries,” said Islam.
He said efforts are underway to explore new labour markets and the government has set up a number of technical training centres at district headquarters to develop skilled and semi-skilled workers.
According to Bangladesh Bank (BB), Bangladeshi expatriates sent home $ 1,31.86 billion from fiscal year 2008-09 to 2017-18, which was $94.82 billion higher than that of previous 10 years.
The inflow of remittance has increased 3.56 times in the last 10 years.
Official data of the ministry, migrant workers sent $2.73 billion remittance in the first two months of the current fiscal year 2018-19, $14.98 billion in fiscal 2017-18, $12.77 billion in 2016-17, $14.93 billion in 2015-16, $ 15.32 billion in 2014-15, $14.22 billion in 2013-14, $14.46 billion in 2012-13, $ 12.84 billion in 2011-12, $ 11.65 billion in 2010-11, $ 10.99 billion in 2009-10 and $ 9.69 billion in fiscal year 2008-09.
“Due to different steps taken by the government and the central bank, the inflow of remittance in the last couple of years showed an upward trend,” BB Deputy Governor Abu Hena Mohammad Razee Hassan told BSS earlier.
An official of expatriates welfare and overseas employment ministry said the government reduced migration cost and is providing necessary training to workers to increase the export of skilled manpower. As a result, the remittance inflow increased gradually.
Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Nurul Islam said the government has declared the manpower export sector as a thrust sector. “We are very careful about human trafficking… we are providing foreign language training to our overseas job seekers across the country,” he added.
The minister said Malaysia and Saudi Arabia have legalized many undocumented Bangladeshi workers, following the present government’s successful diplomatic measures.
Besides, the government signed agreements with different countries including Hong Kong, Jordan, Bahrain and Malaysia for sending workers under government to government system with reduced migration cost.
According to the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU), the migration cost has been reduced to 10 per cent against male and 7 per cent against female workers during the last three years.
