Bangladesh gear-up discovering new migrant workers destinations, welfare
The government is set to undertake a series of programmes from fiscal 2026-27 to expand overseas employment, diversify labour markets, improve skills and strengthen welfare services for Bangladeshi migrant workers.
Bangladeshi migrant workers play a vital role in driving the national economy, contributing billions of dollars in remittances despite facing high recruitment costs and various forms of abuse at overseas workplaces.
According to a budget document, the government is giving special priority to creating new overseas employment opportunities while ensuring safe migration, affordable financing and better governance in migration management.
As part of the initiatives, the government will introduce a dedicated ‘Probashi Card’ for migrant workers on a phased basis from FY27.
The card will contain workers’ personal information, skills and employment details and will be linked with a bank payment gateway to make remittance transfers easier, faster and more secure.
The card will also be connected to expatriate welfare services, insurance, banking facilities and emergency assistance.
The Probashi Card is a government initiative aimed at providing a unified identity and service platform forworkers and strengthening the institutional support available to expatriate workers.
The card is designed to help workers access various government services and benefits more easily, while also maintaining a digital record of their migration and employment-related information.
It can play an important role in ensuring safer, more orderly and transparent migration by connecting workers with relevant government agencies and service providers.
Through the initiative, migrant workers can potentially receive information and support related to overseas employment, migration procedures, welfare services, financial assistance, insurance, training and other facilities.
The card is also expected to help streamline services provided by institutions such as the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) and the Wage Earners’ Welfare Board.
For workers going abroad, having a recognised digital identity can reduce dependence on intermediaries and make it easier to verify their employment and migration status.
It may also help the government maintain more accurate data on Bangladeshi workers abroad and improve policy planning for overseas employment.
According to the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), 1,011,869 workers migrated abroad from Bangladesh between January and December 2024, a 30% decrease from the 1,307,890 workers who left in 2023. Notably, 95% of these workers were employed in just five countries—Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Qatar, Singapore, and the UAE.
The government is also focusing on expanding existing labour markets and opening new destinations. Initiatives have already been taken to sign bilateral agreements with Russia, Portugal, Romania, Brazil, Greece, Serbia and North Macedonia.
At the same time, steps have been taken to reopen labour markets in Malaysia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait after prolonged closures.
To improve confidence among foreign employers, the government plans to introduce a robust Skill Verification Programme under which workers’ skills, experience and certifications will be verified.
A Smart Skill Bank will be developed as a database of verified workers, while internationally recognised digital certificates will be issued to qualified workers. The initiative is expected to facilitate direct recruitment of skilled Bangladeshi workers by foreign employers.
The government also plans to strengthen technical and vocational training facilities from FY27 by upgrading equipment and constructing new facilities.
Around 7,500 local trainers and 1,000 foreign expert trainers will be engaged in government technical institutions, including polytechnic institutes, Technical Training Centres and institutions under the Bangladesh Technical Education Board.
Another 1,000 language instructors and native speakers will be recruited to strengthen foreign language training.
A Foreign Language E-Learning Centre and a Migration Market Research Institute will also be established under the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment to improve language skills and identify emerging labour market opportunities.
The government further plans to establish Bangladesh Support Centres at embassies in major migrant worker destination countries.
The centres will assist Bangladeshi workers facing imprisonment, abuse or deception, help them find new employment, provide legal assistance in disputes with employers and undertake social protection and rehabilitation programmes for returning migrants.
Measures will also be taken to simplify the repatriation of the mortal remains of Bangladeshi workers who die abroad, ensuring their dignified return home.
The government said the migration process has already been fully digitised through the Overseas Employment Platform (OEP).
To increase the supply of skilled workers, activities of the existing 110 Technical Training Centres at district and upazila levels will be strengthened, alongside plans to construct 50 new TTCs in another 50 upazilas.
Under the project “Providing Driving Training for Employment at Home and Abroad (1st Revised)”, training is currently being provided to 102,400 people to develop skilled drivers for employment opportunities in Europe, Japan and the Middle East.
The government will also continue providing easy-term loans of up to Tk 10 lakh to overseas-bound workers through Probashi Kallyan Bank and expand the coverage of the programme.
Meanwhile, the government expects remittance inflows to maintain their strong growth.
According to the budget document, monthly remittance inflows reached a record US$3.75 billion in March 2026, one month after the government assumed office.
The government said the strong performance reflected the confidence of expatriate Bangladeshis in the democratic government and expects the positive trend to continue.
To sustain remittance growth, the government will encourage the use of formal channels and continue the existing 2.5 per cent cash incentive for remittances sent through legal channels.
Source: UNB NEWS