No marked fall in manpower a export, remittance: Minister
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
FE Report
Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Engineer Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain insisted Tuesday that there had not been a marked fall in the number of Bangladeshi workers going abroad and remittance inflow due to the global economic meltdown.
His comments came when a four-member World Bank team, led by its director for South Asia Michael Rutkowski, called on him at his office in Dhaka.
Bangladesh's 7.5 million expatriate workers sent home US$9.689 billion in fiscal 2008-09, up by 22.42 per cent from the previous fiscal year.
During the meeting, the two discussed various issues, including Bangladesh's manpower exports, expansion of manpower market and apparel sector, says a government handout.
The World Bank team urged the government to send educated, skilled and qualified workers abroad to sustain the growth of remittance inflow and prevent any lay-off triggered by the economic slowdown.
In reply, Mr Mosharraf said: "We are providing technical training to labourers at 33 technical training institutes and developing their skills."
He sought the global lender's assistance in developing the skill of the labourers and technical training further, which the WB team assured.
Acting labour and employment secretary Md Ataharul Islam, joint secretary Md Mansur Raja Chowdhury and other senior ministry officials were present during the meeting.
Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Engineer Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain insisted Tuesday that there had not been a marked fall in the number of Bangladeshi workers going abroad and remittance inflow due to the global economic meltdown.
His comments came when a four-member World Bank team, led by its director for South Asia Michael Rutkowski, called on him at his office in Dhaka.
Bangladesh's 7.5 million expatriate workers sent home US$9.689 billion in fiscal 2008-09, up by 22.42 per cent from the previous fiscal year.
During the meeting, the two discussed various issues, including Bangladesh's manpower exports, expansion of manpower market and apparel sector, says a government handout.
The World Bank team urged the government to send educated, skilled and qualified workers abroad to sustain the growth of remittance inflow and prevent any lay-off triggered by the economic slowdown.
In reply, Mr Mosharraf said: "We are providing technical training to labourers at 33 technical training institutes and developing their skills."
He sought the global lender's assistance in developing the skill of the labourers and technical training further, which the WB team assured.
Acting labour and employment secretary Md Ataharul Islam, joint secretary Md Mansur Raja Chowdhury and other senior ministry officials were present during the meeting.