The government is going to formulate a policy for diaspora Bangladeshis aiming to create scope for investment in private sector and boost up inward remittance through the formal channel.
The policy titled 'National Diaspora Policy of Bangladesh-2023' is now in the final stage.
Through this policy, the government will strengthen support for business development to help encourage investment from existing and possible diaspora.
Bangladeshi diaspora refers to the persons who have taken citizenship of another country or application for their citizenship is in the process or they are living there permanently; or they were born or raised in another country as a Bangladeshi-descendant, according to the draft.
More than 2.3 million Bangladeshi diaspora are staying in different countries including United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, Australia, Italy, Japan and Spain.
Bangladesh will adopt diaspora engagement-friendly fiscal policy to ensure their maximum participation in capital investment, according to the draft.
To attract the diaspora investment, necessary reforms of national capital market should be implemented to ensure orderly and safe capital market.
Diaspora networks need to be created for safe migration, tackling climate change, utilisation of human capital etc.
Besides, Bangladesh government will take steps to strengthen the existing diaspora registration to build a uniformed and up-to-date databank.
Participating in the validation workshop on the draft policy Imran Ahmad, minister for the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment (MoEWOE) said diaspora community has a significant contribution for the development of a country of origin.
"We also want to utilise the opportunities, and we are ready to do all necessary works through this policy," he said.
Replying to a query, he said there is an opportunity to sign a deal with Italy on manpower recruitment, and they are working for that.
He also said he is happy that Bangladesh is creating one record after another in sending manpower abroad.
At the same time he expressed frustration that the workers have to go abroad by spending high migration costs.
Prof Abul Barkat, chief adviser, Human Development Research Centre presented the policy draft. Dr. Ahmed Munirus Saleheen, secretary of the MoEWOE, Shahidul Alam, director general of Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training, Abdusattor Esovev, chief of mission, International Organization for Migration (IOM), among others, were present at the programme.
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