The government may refrain from renewing the work permits of foreign nationals found involved in illegal activities, particularly in Bangladesh's export-oriented apparel sector, officials said.
Several foreign nationals, most of them working in Bangladesh's apparel industry, have allegedly been involved in illegal activities.
Such activities have affected their employers' reputations as well as their relations with regulatory bodies and business partners at home and abroad, according to industry insiders and officials of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA).
Following these developments, some factory owners have filed complaints with BIDA, seeking necessary action against such individuals, including suspension of their work permits.
According to BIDA officials, a Sri Lankan national and former country representative of a multinational brand, Dishan Shamal Karunaratne, has been accused of involvement in illegal activities, including drug dealing.
In a written complaint to BIDA, a factory representative also alleged that Karunaratne diverted running orders away from Bangladeshi factories to other countries when local factory owners refused to pay him additional personal commissions.
The garment factory owner has also sent the same letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs, seeking a ban on the re-entry of the Sri Lankan national accused of engaging in activities contrary to the interests of Bangladesh's export-oriented ready-made garment sector.
The application alleges that the individual is involved in serious offences, including money laundering, tax evasion, diversion of purchase orders abroad, and damaging the image of the industry.
The exporter has also expressed concern over reported efforts to appoint the individual to a key position in the country, warning that such a move could pose risks to the national economy and the garment sector.
However, no statement from the accused individual was available.
Talking to The Financial Express, BIDA Executive Director Gazi AKM Fazlul Haque said the authority has received allegations against the Sri Lankan national, whose work permit is set to expire on April 24 this year, adding that it may not be extended.
He said work permits are issued based on applications from employers, and any allegations filed by employers against foreign nationals may be taken into consideration before renewal decisions are made.
Another BIDA official said the investment promotion agency has an arbitration facility to resolve disputes between investors and their foreign employees.
According to BIDA sources, another Sri Lankan national, Sasanka Jayawickrama, who served as the chief operating officer of a leading apparel exporting factory, was involved in serious misconduct with a government official - an LGED engineer - during an official visit to a factory in Manikganj.
Subsequently, a complaint was filed with Saturia Police Station on September 29 last year.
Following the incident and alleged discriminatory behaviour toward the government official, which violated company policy, the factory faced a police case. The owners later cancelled his work permit on November 9 last year.
However, the individual was later employed at another apparel factory, a BIDA official said, adding that the previous employer had been advised to file a formal complaint against him.
In the middle of last year, a leading multinational buying house, Poeticgem, dismissed several foreign and Bangladeshi officials-including those serving as country director, operations manager, business head (sourcing), and general manager (technical and coordination) - following similar allegations.
The company also launched a detailed investigation to identify links and assess the resulting losses.
Industry sources said the foreign national later started a buying house in Dhaka.
Recently, a Dhaka court issued arrest warrants against five individuals, including senior executives of logistics firms and foreign buyers, over allegations of embezzling export proceeds totalling US$331,096 from Bangladesh's garment sector.
Senior Judicial Magistrate Md Tajul Islam Sohag of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court, Dhaka, passed the order on Wednesday after Alim Knit (BD) Ltd, a subsidiary of Mondol Knitwear Ltd, filed a criminal case.
The warrants were issued against Ahmed Musaddeq Sharif, chief executive officer of On Time Worldwide Logistics Ltd; Dhanesh Kallapatha, managing director of Dart Global Logistics (Pvt) Ltd; and Jon Smith, managing director of German buyer Fashion Center GmbH.
Other accused include Oliver Sarrazin, country manager (Germany), and Stephan Gunner, managing director of Global Apparel GmbH.
The next hearing for execution of the warrants is scheduled for April 26, 2026.
Speaking to The Financial Express, BKMEA President Mohammad Hatem said that upon receiving the complaint, it was alleged that the forwarders, in collusion with the buyer, released the goods in Germany without the required NOC from the exporter, effectively bypassing the payment process.
BKMEA notified all parties; however, none responded or attended the hearing at the association.
He added that if any foreign national is involved in illegal activities in Bangladesh, factory owners should immediately inform their associations and the relevant regulatory authorities so that necessary steps can be taken to prevent further such activities.
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