Exporting more trained people

Syed Ashraful Hasan brGREATER remittance can boost the country's foreign exchange reserve as well as its import operations and support development projects. The remittances would support the families of the overseas workers to come out of poverty faster.brIt is estimated that remittance can double or treble within a short period of time to achieve the objectives. But that would require coordinated and comprehensive policy and action. Many potential workers cannot go abroad due to some constraints. They are unskilled and there is little demand for unskilled workers. Besides, it is not desirable to send unskilled workers as their wages are always substantially lower than skilled workers. The government can play a very useful role by providing training to them in diverse areas. It can set up many skill training centres throughout the country at its own cost for the purpose. Establishment of such institutions would be an investment to get more returns in the longer run. brThe trainees should be admitted free of charge on the condition that they would pay back for their training costs once they get employment. Neither the trainer nor the trainee stands to lose anything from this arrangement. But it would create more and more trained people to meet the country's domestic needs, leaving a surplus for overseas markets. It will facilitate sending out a greater number of skilled people for a higher remittance flow.brFinance is formidable barrier faced by the workers in going abroad. Many desperate workers sell all their possessions to pay the private manpower exporters. This risky method discourages many from going abroad. In this area, the government can play a useful role by asking the state-owned commercial banks to extend collateral free loans to the workers keen to go abroad. The loans could be progressively repaid once they get the employment abroad. brThe Bangladesh missions abroad need to be activated to be supportive of a dynamic manpower export policy. The missions should be expected to make government-to-government contracts or between the manpower exporters and the foreign employers. They should be obliged to work to protect the workers' interests without fail. If foreign employers breach the terms of contract by paying less or resort to other abuses, the missions should take up the matter diligently.brMore remittance houses could be opened to provide the workers the needed service to ensure higher remittance flows. Bonds and special saving schemes could be introduced to benefit the expatriate workers. Investment schemes would inspire the expatriate Bangladeshis to invest more in them.brProper motivation and incentives for the personnel would ensure efficient and honest functioning of the remittance houses abroad.