Expatriates 'Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Nurul Islam yesterday said a total of 9,59,354 Bangladeshi workers have been employed in foreign countries this year, highest in country's history, reports UNB.
The minister divulged the information at a meet the press programme with Reporters for Bangladeshi Migrants (RBM) at Expatriates 'Welfare Bhaban in Eskaton in the capital yesterday.
"We are hoping the number of expatriate workers will cross ten lakh including 1,13,009 women after the month of December this year," he said.
Until this November, a total of 5,13,862 went to Saudi Arabia, 83,016 to Oman, 77,145 to Qatar, 47,154 to Kuwait, 83,169 to Malaysia and 37600 to Singapore, the minister said.
"To expand our labour market the government has conducted a research in 52 countries. The government has also finalised a policy to bring the expatriate workers under insurance service", he added.
Replying to a query the minister said there are some Rohingyas who are managing Bangladeshi passports, the department of immigration and passport should be more cautious about it.
RBM president Firoz Manna and its general secretary Masudul Hoque were present during the meet the press programme.
Bangladesh has sent over 7,04,078 overseas workers abroad with employments and received $12,651.04 million as remittance in 2016.
The government provided training to 3,35,836 workers including 1,05,519 during the fiscal year 2015-2016 through 62 training centres aimed at getting jobs home and abroad, it said. Besides, 6,84,537 overseas job seekers went abroad with employment from July 2015 to June 2016, while the country received $14,931.16 million as remittance.
The government declared the overseas employment sector as the "thrust sector" with maximum stress upon further expanding job markets for the Bangladeshi job seekers abroad. The government has also been desperately trying to explore new destinations for its manpower by reducing migration cost and providing necessary training to workers and that got a positive response.