Dhaka to open seven new embassies
Monday, 31 August 2009
FE Report
Bangladesh will open seven new embassies across three continents and fortify the existing missions in an effort to find new markets for the country's booming manpower and exports, officials said Sunday.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith said the new missions would be opened in Mauritius, Sudan, Botswana, Angola, Greece and Romania and Lebanon --- the countries which need big number of foreign workers to spur their economic growth.
The decision came at an inter-ministerial meeting chaired by the finance minister at the secretariat. Foreign minister Dipu Moni, commerce minister Faruk Khan and expatriates' welfare and overseas employment minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain were also present.
"Currently, we have some 47 missions abroad and 19 commercial wings," Mr. Muhith said, adding the new missions are being opened at countries where Bangladesh is exploring markets for its export merchandise.
"We expect that the seven new missions will not only expand our manpower export, they will diversify our export commodities and find us new markets," he told reporters, adding the decision would be implemented soon.
Already tens of thousands of legal and illegal Bangladeshi labours have found work in the seven countries, despite the absence of missions or any labour wings in their capitals.
Among the countries, mineral rich African nations Angola, Botswana and Sudan have been growing at a blistering pace. East European powerhouse Romania also needs tens of thousands of workers to man its manufacturing plants.
Mauritius has recently decided to expel some 6,000 Bangladeshi workers and an absence of Dhaka mission in the Indian Ocean country was felt dearly during the whole episode.
The move to open new embassies follows a 50 per cent slump in manpower export in the first six months of the year, as Bangladeshis' major job destinations have been mired in the worst global economic recession in six decades.
The finance minister, however, said the country's manpower exports have escaped the full brunt of the global meltdown, with 0.35 million Bangladeshis finding overseas jobs in the first seven months of the year.
The minister said at present 6.5 million Bangladeshis are now working abroad, "whose wages bolster our economy." He said the existing missions would also be strengthened to create new opportunities in the traditional manpower markets.
He also reiterated the Awami League government's pledge to establish a bank exclusively for the welfare of the Bangladesh's growing Diaspora.
Bangladesh will open seven new embassies across three continents and fortify the existing missions in an effort to find new markets for the country's booming manpower and exports, officials said Sunday.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith said the new missions would be opened in Mauritius, Sudan, Botswana, Angola, Greece and Romania and Lebanon --- the countries which need big number of foreign workers to spur their economic growth.
The decision came at an inter-ministerial meeting chaired by the finance minister at the secretariat. Foreign minister Dipu Moni, commerce minister Faruk Khan and expatriates' welfare and overseas employment minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain were also present.
"Currently, we have some 47 missions abroad and 19 commercial wings," Mr. Muhith said, adding the new missions are being opened at countries where Bangladesh is exploring markets for its export merchandise.
"We expect that the seven new missions will not only expand our manpower export, they will diversify our export commodities and find us new markets," he told reporters, adding the decision would be implemented soon.
Already tens of thousands of legal and illegal Bangladeshi labours have found work in the seven countries, despite the absence of missions or any labour wings in their capitals.
Among the countries, mineral rich African nations Angola, Botswana and Sudan have been growing at a blistering pace. East European powerhouse Romania also needs tens of thousands of workers to man its manufacturing plants.
Mauritius has recently decided to expel some 6,000 Bangladeshi workers and an absence of Dhaka mission in the Indian Ocean country was felt dearly during the whole episode.
The move to open new embassies follows a 50 per cent slump in manpower export in the first six months of the year, as Bangladeshis' major job destinations have been mired in the worst global economic recession in six decades.
The finance minister, however, said the country's manpower exports have escaped the full brunt of the global meltdown, with 0.35 million Bangladeshis finding overseas jobs in the first seven months of the year.
The minister said at present 6.5 million Bangladeshis are now working abroad, "whose wages bolster our economy." He said the existing missions would also be strengthened to create new opportunities in the traditional manpower markets.
He also reiterated the Awami League government's pledge to establish a bank exclusively for the welfare of the Bangladesh's growing Diaspora.