Bangladesh to send record number of 900,000 workers abroad this year

Dhaka, Jul 27 (UNI) Bangladesh today said it has set the target of sending abroad a record number of 900,000 manpower this year.

Last year the country sent 832,000 workers mainly to Malaysia and oil-rich West Asian countries earning remittance of over 6.6 billion US dollars, which was a record, Foreign Affairs Advisor Iftekhar Chowdhury said.

This amount was more than seven per cent of the GDP, five times the overseas aid, and 10 times the foreign direct investment, he added.

This fiscal year the amount is expected to exceed nine billion US dollars, Dr Chowdhury, who is also in-charge of the Ministry of Overseas Employment said while briefing the caretaker government's Chief Advisor Fakhruddin Ahmed at his office.

The export of manpower is Bangladesh's second largest foreign exchange earning sector after the apparel sector that used to fetch around nine billion US dollars a year.

Of the targeted 900,000 workforce to be sent this year, the number of skilled and semi-skilled would be 400,000.

The Foreign Advisor said the upgradation of skill is being done by 38 Technical Training Centres whose programs are now being designed in line with demand. This year the Technical Centres will produce 49,000 trainees, a record, as compared to last years 26000.

Dr Iftekhar added diplomatic efforts are constantly underway with countries where the Bangladeshi workers were facing problems, and many of these issues have been resolved.

UNI XC RJ AS1750