47 lakh Bangladeshi workers went abroad in 8 years
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina tells parliament
BSS
Prime Minister and Leader of the House Sheikh Hasina yesterday said 46.79 lakh Bangladeshi workers went abroad in the last eight years since 2009 as her government has taken enormous initiatives for creating new labour market, reports BSS.
We have declared the overseas employment sector as a thrust sector ...the government is working for expanding labour market with the support from Bangladesh embassies/high commissions abroad and the ministry of foreign affairs, she said while replying to a starred query from treasury bench member M Ayen Uddin (Rajshahi-3) during her question answer session in the House.
Considering the importance of the sector, she said, the government has given importance to create new labour markets along with maintaining existing labour markets abroad.
The leader of the House said workers were sent to 97 countries during the BNP-Jamaat rule, but the number has now increased to 162.
Spelling out her governments measures for expanding labour markets, Sheikh Hasina said her government has set up 29 labour wings at Bangladesh embassies or high commissions, with opening the latest at Mauritius in October 2016.
In addition to this, she said, a study has been conducted on 50 new labour markets including Europe, Australia and Brazil.
The premier said in February 2015, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia for sending housemaids to the kingdom.
Besides, she said, due to diplomatic efforts of the government a MoU was also inked in March 2017 for sending technical interns to Japan.
It has created job opportunity for technical interns in Japan for 5 years instead of 3 years, she added.
