Dhaka, Jan 15 – Bangladesh sent a record number of 10.08 lakh workers abroad in 2017, Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Nurul Islam told Parliament on Monday.“The number of exported manpower increased at 10, 08,525 in 2017 from 7, 57,731 in 2016,” he said replying to a starred question from independent MP Rahim Ullah (Feni-3).
On behalf of the minister, State Minister for Labour and Employment Mujibul Haque (Chunnu) answered the question in the House.
Nurul Islam said Bangladesh is now exporting manpower to 165 countries across the world. The number of manpower export is on rise due to different measures taken by the government.
In reply to an unstarred question from Awami League MP Nurunnabi Chowdhury (Bhola-3), the minister said some 52 lakh Bangladeshi workers got overseas jobs in the last nine years during the two consecutive regimes of the present government.
Nurul Islam said the government has recently re-fixed the highest costs of migration to 16 countries.
The highest migration cost was fixed at Tk 262,270 (including training cost) for Singapore, while Tk 165,000 (for only male) for Saudi Arab, Tk 160,000 for Malaysia, Tk 145,780 for Libya, Tk 97,780 for Bahrain, Tk 107,780 for United Arab Emirates (UAE), Tk 106,780 for Kuwait, Tk 100,780 for Oman and Qatar, Tk 129,540 for Iraq, Tk 102,780 for Jordan, Tk 120,780 for Egypt and Brunei, Tk 166,640 for Russia, Tk 115,780 for Maldives, and Tk 117,780 for Lebanon.
However, the migration cost for women workers to go to Saudi Arab is now zero, said the Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister. – UNB
