Move initiated to raise manpower export from less advanced areas
Monday, 1 October 2007
Shakhawat Hossain
The government has initiated a move to increase manpower export from the country's less advanced areas aiming to remove regional income disparity and reduce poverty, official sources said.
The Ministry for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment has already been asked to suggest measures so that manpower export from the country's northern and western regions can be increased.
Among various steps, the ministry is considering recommending introduction of quota system and raising a special fund for helping manpower export from the less developed regions, sources added.
The caretaker government (CG) is convinced that inflow of remittance is not similar in different areas as manpower export from the northern and the western regions is insignificant.
If the flow of remittances can be increased to these less advanced areas, the country's goals of achieving poverty alleviation and removing regional income disparity will be easier.
Available ministry statistics shows that about 583,319 people or 12 per cent of the country's total manpower export until January last originated from Comilla, followed by Chittagong at 9.0 per cent share, Dhaka 7.0 per cent share. Brahmanbaria, Chandpur and Tangail each account for 6.0 to 5.0 per cent of the manpower.
Noakhali, Munshiganj, Sylhet, Manikganj, Feni, Narsindhi, Gazipur, Laxmipur and Narayanganj each represent 3.0 per cent of the total manpower exports.
Barisal, Faridpur, Kishorganj, Mymenshing and Maoulavibazar each have two per cent share while Cox's Bazar, Shariatpur, Habiganj, Madaripur, Bogra and Nabaganj each represent only one per cent share of the country's manpower exports.
The rest of the districts have 14 per cent share, added the statistics.
It is clear from the statistics that the manpower export from districts like Rangpur, Dinajpur, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Rajshahi, Kushtia, Chuadangda, Meherpur, Jessor, Satkhira and Khulna is insignificant.
The less participation of these districts in manpower export business that contributed nearly US 6.0 billion to the government coffer is a major reason behind poverty incidences in three divisions- Rajshahi, Barisal and Khulna.
According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) Household Integrated Economics Survey (HIES) 2000 and 2005, poverty incidences in the three divisions have remained higher than other divisions.
The incidence of poverty in 2005 in Barisal, Rajshahi and Khulna was 52 per cent, 45.7 per cent and 51.2 per cent respectively. It was, however, 34 per cent, 32 per cent, and 33.8 per cent in Chittagong, Dhaka and Sylhet respectively in the same year.
General Economic Division (GED) of the ministry of planning, last month suggested a number of steps for economic emancipation in Rajshahi, Barisal and Khulna divisions.
The suggestions include 10 per cent incentive for entrepreneurs investing in the underdeveloped regions, on new power generation plants and transmission of natural gas through pipelines.
The GED also suggested the government to take initiatives to encourage manpower export from these divisions.
The government has initiated a move to increase manpower export from the country's less advanced areas aiming to remove regional income disparity and reduce poverty, official sources said.
The Ministry for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment has already been asked to suggest measures so that manpower export from the country's northern and western regions can be increased.
Among various steps, the ministry is considering recommending introduction of quota system and raising a special fund for helping manpower export from the less developed regions, sources added.
The caretaker government (CG) is convinced that inflow of remittance is not similar in different areas as manpower export from the northern and the western regions is insignificant.
If the flow of remittances can be increased to these less advanced areas, the country's goals of achieving poverty alleviation and removing regional income disparity will be easier.
Available ministry statistics shows that about 583,319 people or 12 per cent of the country's total manpower export until January last originated from Comilla, followed by Chittagong at 9.0 per cent share, Dhaka 7.0 per cent share. Brahmanbaria, Chandpur and Tangail each account for 6.0 to 5.0 per cent of the manpower.
Noakhali, Munshiganj, Sylhet, Manikganj, Feni, Narsindhi, Gazipur, Laxmipur and Narayanganj each represent 3.0 per cent of the total manpower exports.
Barisal, Faridpur, Kishorganj, Mymenshing and Maoulavibazar each have two per cent share while Cox's Bazar, Shariatpur, Habiganj, Madaripur, Bogra and Nabaganj each represent only one per cent share of the country's manpower exports.
The rest of the districts have 14 per cent share, added the statistics.
It is clear from the statistics that the manpower export from districts like Rangpur, Dinajpur, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Rajshahi, Kushtia, Chuadangda, Meherpur, Jessor, Satkhira and Khulna is insignificant.
The less participation of these districts in manpower export business that contributed nearly US 6.0 billion to the government coffer is a major reason behind poverty incidences in three divisions- Rajshahi, Barisal and Khulna.
According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) Household Integrated Economics Survey (HIES) 2000 and 2005, poverty incidences in the three divisions have remained higher than other divisions.
The incidence of poverty in 2005 in Barisal, Rajshahi and Khulna was 52 per cent, 45.7 per cent and 51.2 per cent respectively. It was, however, 34 per cent, 32 per cent, and 33.8 per cent in Chittagong, Dhaka and Sylhet respectively in the same year.
General Economic Division (GED) of the ministry of planning, last month suggested a number of steps for economic emancipation in Rajshahi, Barisal and Khulna divisions.
The suggestions include 10 per cent incentive for entrepreneurs investing in the underdeveloped regions, on new power generation plants and transmission of natural gas through pipelines.
The GED also suggested the government to take initiatives to encourage manpower export from these divisions.