Metropolis Report-
The labour export during the period of November clocked 11.00 per cent growth compared to the previous month of October . Bangladesh exported a total of 81,181 workers during the month of November as against 73,134 workers to different countries during the month of October, according to Bureau, Manpower, Employment and Trading (BMET).
Bangladesh exported a total of 1,029,054 workers during the January-November period of the current calendar year as against 485,893 during the same period of the previous year posting nearly 211.77 per cent growth, according to Bureau, Manpower, Employment and Trading (BMET).
Saudi Arabia was the top destination of Bangladeshi workers with 575,507 workers (over 55.93 of the market share), followed by Oman with 158,748 workers (15.43%), UAE with 94,589 workers (9.19pc), Singapore with 59,131 (5.75%), Jordan with 12,110 workers (1.18 %), Qatar with 22,186 (2.16 %), Kuwait with 17,843workers (1.73%), Italy with 6692 workers (0.65%), Japan 428 (0.04 % ) and the UK with 664 workers (0.06%), according to BMET data.
Though Bangladesh’s labour export shot up by 211.776 per cent during the January-November period of this calendar year, compared to the same period of 2021, the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war and growing high cost of living may rein in the tempo of Bangladesh’s labour export to different countries in the mid-and long run, cautioned stakeholders concerned.
As the Russia-Ukraine war began, giving the wrong signal to the global economy, industrialists and businessmen in labour importing countries may slow down recruitment of workers on grounds of the high cost of living and possible social unrest, said a leading labour exporter.
Bangladesh exported a total of 1,008,525 workers in 2017, the highest number in one year, during the last 50 years.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Abul Bashar has been elected President and Shamim Ahmed Chowdhury as secretary general of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) for the year 2022-2024.
Meanwhile, new Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) President Mohammad Abul Bashar while talking to the daily said that new committee will work on speeding up manpower export to Malaysia.
Meanwhile, the manpower export recorded at 12,790 workers to the Southeast Asian country during the month of November with Bangladesh exporting a total of 27,800 workers during the January-November period of the current calendar year
Mohammad Abul Bashar, also an Awami League leader, said his panel has been against syndication of manpower export to Malaysia and will leave no stone unturned in boosting manpower to the Southeast Asian country.
Another report adds: As shared by Malaysia’s Ministry of Human Resources (MOHR), there are currently 1.3mn foreign workers in sectors that are allowed to hire and employ foreign workers. At the same time, more than 612,000 foreign workers have registered and passed the Safety and Health Inspection (SHE) checks in their home countries.
Additionally, 228,321 foreign workers (37.3% of the overall number) have been approved for Visas With Reference by the Immigration Department of Malaysia, and are waiting for arrival.
According to the ministry, the demand for foreign worker employment has hit about 1.8mn – the highest number ever received, it noted. In that vein, as of 26 September 2022, the ministry has approved a total of 541,315 quotas for the recruitment of foreign workers. Of that number, 436,613 quotas have made levy payments. Taking into account the 1.3mn foreign workers in Malaysia, and the 531,315 quotas that have been approved, MOHR highlighted that this number has “almost met the industry’s demand for foreign worker employment”.
Apart from the above, it was shared that upon discussions on the issue of foreign worker entry within the industries, leaders such as those in the plantation sector will not be bringing in foreign workers all at once. Instead, the recruitment will be carried out in stages according to the needs and plans of the employer.
Employers have a period of up to 18 months to bring in foreign workers after the levy payment is settled, MOHR affirmed.
Meanwhile, the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) is looking for the opportunities to increase the export of manpower as well as readymade garments, textile, leather, plastic, pharmaceutical to Romania.
The Romanian ambassador Daniela Sezonov Tane, during a courtesy call on FBCCI President Md. Jashim Uddin recently, highlighted the potentials and opportunities of Bangladesh in Romania.
The ambassador said Romania has progressed a lot in the fields of chemical products, machinery, energy, clean energy and solar power production.
Mentioning that Romania will conduct gas exploration in the sea by 2026, Daniela called upon the business representatives of Bangladesh to visit Romania to strengthen the business relations between the two countries.
He also called for working in manpower export from Bangladesh to Romania.
The FBCCI President said there are opportunities to send more skilled manpower from Bangladesh to Romania if job opportunities with good salaries are ensured. The ministries concerned would assist in this regard.
The FBCCI president informed that Bangladesh has a huge potentials in the IT sector along with readymade garments, textile, food processing, pharmaceuticals, ceramics, plastic products, jute and jute products.
Mentioning that about 7 lakh people are involved in freelancing, Jashim said if the freelancers of Bangladesh are provided with more work orders, this sector would get a boost. The hiring companies will also be benefitted as well, he added.
Jashim also urged for working in strengthening B2B engagements between Romania and Bangladesh.
FBCCI Vice President M A Momen, Md. Amin Helaly, Md. Habib Ullah Dawn, director Prity Chakraborty, secretary general Mohammad Mahfuzul Hoque, among others, were present.
