Prime Minister's emphasis on finding foreign employment in new countries

He said, 'We have to find new areas of employment and new countries (to send manpower). We will provide the kind of training (for workers) that a country needs.'

The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating the second meeting of the National Steering Committee on Expatriate Welfare and Foreign Employment at his official residence Ganabhaban today.

Pointing out that the government has already started sending workers to some new countries, he said, "We need to send skilled manpower and for that we have arranged multi-disciplinary training for the workers."

He also said, 'If we can send skilled manpower through proper training, then we have a great chance to achieve economic prosperity.'

He also instructed the officials concerned on how Bangladeshi expatriate workers should be well and encourage them to send remittances through legal channels.

The Prime Minister said, if you (expatriates) send remittances to the country through Hundi, it might reach your family members and they spend it. But in this, the person sending this money does not save anything.
He also said that sometimes the remitted money is wasted.

Sheikh Hasina said, 'Many expatriate workers find after returning home that they have no money in the country and many have to face this kind of problem.'

In this regard, he also said that those who send money through banking or legal means, his government is giving incentives to them in that remittance flow.

Referring to the establishment of Pravasi Kalyan Bank by her government, the Prime Minister directed the bank authorities to increase facilities by appointing agents, so that expatriates can easily send remittances from their places of residence.

He also said, 'If you (expatriates) send money through the bank. But spend as much as you need and save the rest.'

Sheikh Hasina said, 'You can use this savings back home.'

The Chief Minister said, 'If money is sent using hundi, it will end up in other hands. But there is no such possibility in the bank.'

He also said that expatriate workers can take loans from banks with their savings after returning home.
The Prime Minister directed the officials concerned to carry out a massive awareness campaign for this purpose.
He also emphasized on the need to create awareness so that people do not get cheated while working abroad and get proper employment.

In this regard, Sheikh Hasina said that her government has set up digital centers across the country and foreign job seekers can register themselves with the Expatriate Welfare Ministry by visiting the centers.

He said, 'If they (foreign job seekers) go abroad with proper training, then they will not be in danger.'
Regarding the women workers, Sheikh Hasina said, those who are going for employment abroad with proper training are doing well. But those who are in the clutches of brokers are suffering. So he urged everyone to be aware of this.

Referring to the learning and earning campaign launched by the government for freelancers, the Prime Minister said that now the country has started reaping its results.

He said that freelancers are bringing foreign currency to the country from home, which was not accounted for earlier.

Sheikh Hasina said, currently there are enough employment opportunities in the country and people are earning more.

He also said that a day laborer used to earn Tk 200-300 per day, now he can earn Tk 600-1000 per day depending on the type of work. Minimum income is 500-600 taka.

In the rural areas, the income is more than this amount - the Prime Minister said, noting that during the rice harvesting season, the wage amount including three meals a day is Tk 700-800.

He also said, 'The rural economy has improved a lot. If one goes to the countryside, one will see that the standard of living in the rural areas has improved a lot.'

The Prime Minister said that as people become affluent, there is sometimes a shortage of workers.