The Ministry of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment has been asked to remain vigilant so that no poor people can be exploited in the name of providing them with jobs aboard.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina came up with the directive while delivering her introductory speech at a meeting with officials of the ministry and its different organisations held at the ministry's conference room in the city on Sunday, reports UNB.
"We don't want to stop the business of manpower exporters or recruiting agencies. Their business will continue, but there should be no exploitation of the common and distressed people in the name of business...there would be profit, but there should not be over hundred per cent profit to make the poor people paupers," the Prime Minister said.
Mentioning that the database of the Bangladeshi workers would leave no scope for exploitation of workers, "You'll (Ministry) have to look into the matter so that no one could confuse or exploit the Bangladeshi workers want to go abroad seeking jobs," the Prime Minister said.
Stressing the need for creating newer employment opportunities abroad, Sheikh Hasina said the ministry will have to identify which country have higher demand for which kinds of works.
Of the country's total population of about 160 million, the Prime Minister said about 9.0 million Bangladeshi expatriates are staying abroad. "And this is how inward remittance has been the main driving force of the country's economy."
Sheikh Hasina said the training institutes under various ministries, including the Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment, Labour and Youth and Sports ministries, are very much important for sending skilled manpower through proper training and thus earning more foreign currency.
The Prime Minister stressed the need for coordination among the training institutes of various ministries in different trades and vocations for generating more local and foreign employment opportunities.
Referring to the recent trend of making attempts by the fortune seekers to cross the sea, including the seizure of a Malaysia-bound trawler by the Navy and Coast Guard members with about 600 people on board having women and children, Sheikh Hasina said, "I just wonder why people take too much risk of their lives to cross the sea.....this is very unfortunate."
Directing the authorities concerned for curbing such attempts, the Prime Minister also asked the Ministry of Expatriates Welfare to create massive mass awareness among the common people as well as conduct vast publicity through newspapers and TV channels in this connection.
The Prime Minister said her government has taken proper steps so that the Bangladeshi workers could go abroad in a transparent way and safely.
Noting that there is a wide demand for skilled manpower in different countries of the world, Sheikh Hasina said more workers could be sent to those countries through negotiations for which there is a need for skilled manpower and proper trainings.
Describing the country's vast population as assets, Sheikh Hasina said, "I think this vast population is not a problem rather our biggest assets. If this population could be utilised properly, then this could lead us towards our goal."
Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Dr Khondoker Mosharraf Hossain delivered the address of welcome, while PM's Principal Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder, Ministry Secretary Dr Khandker Shawkat Hossain and PM's Press Secretary AKM Shameem Chowdhuri were, among others, present at the meeting.
PM for stopping exploitation of overseas job seekers
FE Team | Published: November 24, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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