The government has taken preparations to make a breakthrough in emerging job markets in the European Union (EU) member-states, said officials.
Most countries of the EU need a large number of foreign workers in different sectors. Recently, it showed willingness to recruit Asian workers to meet their growing demand.
"We are trying to tap the opportunities and have started groundwork to supply workers according to their demand," Secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates'
Welfare and Overseas Employment (EWOE), Khondaker Showkat Hossain told the FE.
Already the government has inked a deal with the Technical and Further Education (TAFE) Institute in Australia to ensure workers' training as per international standard. And it will go for another agreement with the United Kingdom for the same purpose, he added.
Every country of the EU needs foreign workers. But it is putting emphasis on skilled workers like plumbers, electricians, house workers etc, he said.
But the skills will have to be certified by international training organisations, he added.
In a recent meeting of the Colombo Process, the EU expressed its willingness to recruit manpower from Asia. Some 11 manpower-exporting countries including Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Indonesia, the Philippines and Pakistan participated in the meeting in Colombo of Sri Lankan.
A delegation, led by the EWOE Secretary, attended the meeting.
There are large opportunities for Bangladesh to send skilled workers there, Mr Hossain mentioned.
Responding to a query, the top ministry official said, although it is a highly competitive market, Bangladesh will be able to tap it.
He said other labour-sending countries like India and the Philippines are very selective about sending manpower abroad in view of wages and other terms and conditions.
But Bangladesh is flexible about bargaining for wages. So Bangladeshis can get extra priority in their recruitment lists, the Secretary hoped.
More than 9.0 million Bangladeshis went abroad with jobs from 1976 to till now. But most of them are employed in the Middle Eastern countries.
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