[🇧🇩] Manpower Export: Prospects and Challenges.

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Bangladesh should revise its migration policies to realise its remittance potential

Bangladesh’s remittance economy has become one of the country’s most dependable economic pillars. With official remittance inflows now crossing $30 billion annually, millions of migrant workers continue to support their families, strengthen rural economies, and contribute to the country’s...

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Bangladesh should revise its migration policies to realise its remittance potential

Munshi Md Ashfaqul Alam
Published: 23 May 2026, 17: 36

Bangladesh’s remittance economy has become one of the country’s most dependable economic pillars. With official remittance inflows now crossing $30 billion annually, millions of migrant workers continue to support their families, strengthen rural economies, and contribute to the country’s foreign exchange reserves.

Despite these achievements, Bangladesh has not yet reached its full remittance potential.

If the country can implement strategic reforms in migration, skill development, financial inclusion, and remittance governance, reaching $50 billion in annual formal remittance inflows within the next five to seven years is a realistic ambition.

This target, however, cannot be achieved simply by sending more workers abroad. Bangladesh must fundamentally transform its migration model—from exporting largely low-skilled labour to building a globally competitive, skilled migrant workforce.

Beyond numbers: The structural challenge

For decades, Bangladesh’s overseas employment strategy has largely depended on low-skilled workers entering labour-intensive sectors in the Gulf and Southeast Asian countries. While these migrants deserve immense national recognition, this model has limitations.

Low-skilled workers often earn lower wages, face greater exploitation, and have limited upward mobility. Moreover, heavy dependence on a small number of labor markets leaves Bangladesh vulnerable to policy shifts, geopolitical instability, and changing workforce demands.

At the same time, a significant portion of remittances still flows through informal hundi channels, depriving the country of valuable foreign exchange reserves. Various estimates suggest that billions of dollars may remain outside formal banking systems annually.

This means Bangladesh’s challenge is not only increasing remittance volume but also maximising its formal capture.

Addressing these issues requires a shift in national priorities, starting with skill development.

The single most effective path to higher remittance is clear: skill-based migration.

Technical Training Centres (TTCs) need curriculum reform, international certification standards, and stronger language training in English, Arabic, Japanese, Korean, and European languages. Training should align with global demand in sectors such as healthcare, caregiving, logistics, hospitality, industrial services, and modern construction.
A semi-skilled or highly skilled worker in Japan, South Korea, Germany, or Europe can often earn several times more than an unskilled worker in traditional labour destinations. Higher income directly translates into larger remittance potential.

Bangladesh must therefore urgently modernise its migration preparation infrastructure.

Technical Training Centres (TTCs) need curriculum reform, international certification standards, and stronger language training in English, Arabic, Japanese, Korean, and European languages. Training should align with global demand in sectors such as healthcare, caregiving, logistics, hospitality, industrial services, and modern construction.

Without this transformation, Bangladesh risks losing competitiveness in an evolving global labour market.

While skill development serves as a foundation, Bangladesh must also diversify its labour markets to ensure resilience and growth.

Bangladesh’s migrant workforce remains concentrated in a few destinations, particularly in the Gulf region.

To achieve the next remittance leap, policymakers must aggressively expand labour diplomacy toward higher-income countries experiencing demographic labour shortages, including:

• Japan
• South Korea
• Germany
• Italy
• Romania
• Poland
• Canada

These destinations offer better wages, stronger legal protections, and greater long-term income growth.

A broader migration portfolio will reduce dependency risks while significantly improving per capita remittance earnings.

Formal remittance channels need stronger incentives

Eliminating hundi remains one of Bangladesh’s biggest policy opportunities.

Competitive exchange rates, lower transfer fees, faster banking systems, mobile wallet integration, and NRB-focused financial products can significantly reduce reliance on informal channels.

Migrants must view formal banking not only as safer but also as economically beneficial.

Financial institutions should create tailored NRB products, including:

• Premium deposit schemes
• Housing finance
• SME investment support
• Insurance
• Pension products
• Diaspora bonds

Migrants should be treated not merely as remitters but as long-term economic stakeholders.

Lower migration costs, higher remittance returns

High recruitment fees and fraudulent intermediaries continue to reduce migrants’ earning power even before departure.

Government-to-government recruitment, transparent licencing, and stricter oversight of recruitment agencies are essential reforms.

High migration costs often force workers to spend months or even years repaying debts and overseas brokerage expenses before they can begin sending meaningful remittances home. Reducing migration costs would allow migrant workers to start remitting sooner and contribute more to Bangladesh’s economy through formal channels.

Women can become a major remittance frontier

Global demand for female workers in nursing, caregiving, healthcare, and hospitality continues to rise. With proper training, legal safeguards, and ethical recruitment, Bangladesh can responsibly expand female workforce participation in international labour markets. This could become a major future remittance driver.

A national economic strategy, not just labour policy

Reaching $50 billion annual remittance should not be viewed solely as a migration issue. It must be integrated into broader economic planning.

Bangladesh needs coordinated action involving:

• Government ministries
• Bangladesh Bank
• Financial institutions
• Recruiting agencies
• Technical training institutions
• Diplomatic missions

Global demand for female workers in nursing, caregiving, healthcare, and hospitality continues to rise. With proper training, legal safeguards, and ethical recruitment, Bangladesh can responsibly expand female workforce participation in international labour markets. This could become a major future remittance driver.
The objective should be clear: transform remittance from a survival-driven economic tool into a strategic development engine.

The road ahead

Bangladesh’s remittance warriors have already built a powerful economic foundation through sacrifice and resilience.

Now the nation must build on that foundation with a better strategy.

The road to $50 billion annual remittance will require:

• Skilled migration
• Market diversification
• Formalisation of informal flows
• Financial innovation
• Worker protection
• Institutional modernisation

Bangladesh’s next remittance revolution will not come simply from labour migration. It will come from skills, dignity, and strategic national vision.

*Munshi Md Ashfaqul Alam is SVP & Head of Islamic Financing & Strategic Recovery, remittance industry expert, Bangladesh Finance PLC.​

 

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TMSS's job fair opens doors for youths to Japan, Korea

TMSS Northern Recruiting Agency (TNRA) organised a job and education fair held today at Bangladesh-Korea Technical Training Centre (BKTTC) in the capital’s Technical Intersection area. The fair was organised to inform young men and women about opportunities for higher education, employment, and...

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TMSS's job fair opens doors for youths to Japan, Korea

BSS
Dhaka
Published: 18 Jun 2026, 22: 41

TMSS Northern Recruiting Agency organised a job and education fair held today at Bangladesh-Korea Technical Training Centre in the capital. BSS

TMSS Northern Recruiting Agency (TNRA) organised a job and education fair held today at Bangladesh-Korea Technical Training Centre (BKTTC) in the capital’s Technical Intersection area.

The fair was organised to inform young men and women about opportunities for higher education, employment, and permanent residency in Japan and South Korea.

Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry’s Joint Secretary for Employment Wing Md Shahidul Islam Chowdhury attended it on virtual platform as the chief guest with TMSS Executive Adviser Dr. Mohammad Khairul Islam in the chair.

First Secretary (Labour) of the Labour Wing at the Bangladesh Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, Md Zainal Abedin spoke as a special guest while Director of the ICT and Environment Sector of TMSS Dr. Nigar Sultana, Managing Director of TMSS Northern Recruiting Agency Abdur Rouf and Japanese organisation Mirai’s education consultant also spoke.

Addressing the event, officials concerned said Bangladesh aims to send 500,000 workers to Japan within the next two and a half years.

Participants were provided with detailed information on admission procedures, scholarships, student life, employment opportunities, and visa processes at various educational institutions in Japan and South Korea.

Spot admission and visa support services were also offered for interested students. HSC, diploma, and undergraduate students, as well as job seekers, attended the fair.

BKTTC Principal Engineer Lutfor Rahman said that the centre has set a target of sending 500,000 workers to Japan by 2028.

The government-approved cost for a worker to go to Japan is Tk 48,500, which he described as highly affordable.

He noted that workers must develop relevant skills and learn the Japanese language to qualify.

Dr. Nigar Sultana, Director of the ICT and Environment Sector of TMSS, said that the organisation is helping transform the country’s large population into a skilled workforce by providing Japanese and Korean language and cultural education, while also creating safe and legal pathways for higher education, employment, and even permanent residency in Japan and South Korea.

Language training programmes are currently being conducted in four districts-Dhaka, Rangpur, Bogura, and Madaripur, she said.

She added that fair participants received guidance and counseling aimed at developing skilled human resources.

The event generated significant interest among those seeking to build international careers through study or employment opportunities in Japan and South Korea.

Speakers said there are extensive employment opportunities in caregiving, driving, and civil construction sectors under Japan’s Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) Programme.

They emphasised that such initiatives can play an important role in connecting Bangladesh’s youth with the global education and labour markets and in developing a skilled workforce.​

 

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UN rights chief troubled by new EU migrant return rules

The UN rights chief said on Saturday he deeply regretted the European Union's new migration rules, which allow much broader detention powers and the creation of deportation centres outside the bloc. The rules, approved on Wednesday, enable the 27 EU nations to open "return hubs" outside the...

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UN rights chief troubled by new EU migrant return rules

AFP
Geneva

Volker Turk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Reuters file photo

The UN rights chief said on Saturday he deeply regretted the European Union's new migration rules, which allow much broader detention powers and the creation of deportation centres outside the bloc.

The rules, approved on Wednesday, enable the 27 EU nations to open "return hubs" outside the bloc's borders, where they can send asylum seekers and migrants to whom they do not grant the right to remain.

Volker Turk, the United Nations' High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the EU and its member states must ensure the rules fully comply with international human rights and refugee law.

"EU states cannot simply outsource their human rights obligations to third states in this context," he said in a statement.

"Detention and return of vulnerable people, including children, to other countries is a particularly sensitive exercise of the state's power and carries a high risk of human rights violations.

"There must be front-and-centre emphasis on human rights protection and dignity throughout -- in fact and in law," Turk insisted.

European governments have sought a tougher stance on immigration, which has become a hot political topic used by far-right parties to make electoral gains across the continent.

With asylum seeker arrivals down in 2025, the focus in Brussels has turned to tightening up the repatriation system.

''Serious human rights violations''

Currently, fewer than 30 per cent of people who are ordered to leave are returned to their country of origin.

"International human rights law and refugee law are very clear -- no-one should be returned to a place where they would be at risk of serious human rights violations or other irreparable harm," said Turk.

"This is the fundamental principle of non-refoulement. It must be fully respected by all countries and all territories under all circumstances."

He also called for robust monitoring and accountability to ensure full respect for human rights in return procedures, including people's right to private and family life, to family unity, as well as to protect the best interests of children.

"Deportation decisions must always be based on individualised assessments and should not be carried out prior to conclusion of appeal processes," Turk insisted.

Besides return hubs, the new measures establish a strict obligation for migrants subject to expulsion to leave and cooperate with authorities to that end.

They say that those who do not, who pose a security risk or are thought to be at risk of absconding, can be detained for up to two years.

Turk urged countries to ensure that public discourse on migration "remains grounded in fact" and "avoids conflating migration with security concerns".

Turk called for a balanced approach to migration anchored in human rights, that recognised "the contributions of migrants to European societies and economies".​

 

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France's Macron slams migrant 'return-hubs', EU funding push

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday slammed the idea of creating deportation centres for irregular migrants outside the EU, saying Paris will oppose efforts to have the bloc fund them. So-called "return hubs" outside the EU's borders are one of the main features of a tightening of...

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France's Macron slams migrant 'return-hubs', EU funding push

AFP
Brussels, Belgium
Published: 20 Jun 2026, 21: 25

France’s President Emmanuel Macron File photo

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday slammed the idea of creating deportation centres for irregular migrants outside the EU, saying Paris will oppose efforts to have the bloc fund them.

So-called "return hubs" outside the EU's borders are one of the main features of a tightening of migration rules criticised by human rights groups that won the final approval of the European Parliament this week.

"France does not support that policy," Macron told journalists after a summit of European leaders in Brussels, noting the new rules allowed for people to be sent to countries they had no ties to -- which could receive money in turn.

"I'm not sure that's the Europe we want. I'm not sure those are the fundamental principles on which our Europe was built. And I don't believe, for that matter, that it's effective. The proof is that, so far, I haven't seen anyone make it work."

France was in favour of stricter rules to boost returns of people with no right to stay to their country of origin, but would not be building return hubs, he added.

"I don't believe that this is either effective or in line with our principles," Macron said.

While other EU members were free to go ahead with such plans, Paris was against a move supported by many other member states to have EU money help pay for them, Macron said.

Proponents say return hubs -- which would serve either as the final destination or as transfer centres for those expelled -- could facilitate repatriations and act as a deterrent for would-be irregular migrants

But rights groups have criticised them as "legal black holes" that could see migrants stranded in limbo with little oversight.

Britain abandoned a scheme to deport undocumented migrants to Rwanda, while Italian-run facilities to process migrants in Albania have faced legal challenges and a slow uptake.​

 

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State minister emphasises on making Overseas Employment Platform effective

The project "Supporting a Talent Partnership with Bangladesh, " aimed at ensuring ethical, regular, and safe migration of skilled manpower between Bangladesh and the European Union, has successfully completed its second year, says a press release of the expatriates' welfare and overseas...

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State minister emphasises on making Overseas Employment Platform effective

Staff Correspondent
Dhaka

The state minister emphasises on making Overseas Employment Platform effective Courtesy: The ministry

The project "Supporting a Talent Partnership with Bangladesh, " aimed at ensuring ethical, regular, and safe migration of skilled manpower between Bangladesh and the European Union, has successfully completed its second year, says a press release of the expatriates' welfare and overseas employment ministry.

Financed by the European union with a budget of 3 million euros and with technical assistance from the International Labour Organization, this project is being implemented from 1 July 2024, to 30 June 2027.

Recently, on the project's second anniversary, an overview of its overall progress and success was published.

The project is being conducted under the joint sponsorship of the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment and the Technical and Madrasah Education Division.

It is being successfully implemented on the ground through the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training.

Additionally, the National Skill Development Authority, Directorate of Technical Education, Bangladesh Technical Education Board, and BOESL are working as partner organisations in this project.

According to the progress report released in June 2026, several unique milestones have already been achieved under this project.

A total of 698 workers who completed technical training have been recognised as qualified by the ''National Skill Development Authority'' according to international standards.

They are fully prepared to be sent to the European market, particularly Italy, in 8 major trades. Continuous communication is maintained with the Italian embassy to send workers to different sectors in Italy, and many are currently awaiting interviews.

A high-level review meeting was held today on how to effectively incorporate trainees' information into the ''Overseas Employment Platform'' according to the demands of Italy and other European countries.

In this meeting, the State Minister for the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, Mohammad Nurul Haque, emphasised the need to further enhance the functions of the ''Overseas Employment Platform'' to ensure sustainable and ethical migration.

He placed special emphasis on making the platform more effective and accessible by making it quickly usable on mobile devices.

The State Minister further mentioned that as workers are being trained according to European standards, arrangements should be made to send them to other European countries in addition to Italy.

This project will greatly encourage the irregular migration of skilled workers from the country to Europe.

Priority activities for the coming days of the project include ensuring Italian language education alongside technical training and a 10-day Pre-Departure Orientation (PDO) manual.

Additionally, a decision was made to create an ''Employer-Matching Pipeline'' to establish direct connections between certified graduates and international recruitment agencies.

Among others, the meeting was attended by Lotte Keizer, Chief Technical Advisor of the ILO, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Md Saiful Haque Chowdhury, Managing Director of BOESL Md Saiful Islam, Director General of BMET Jamil Ahmed, along with other senior officials from the ministry.​

 

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https://www.newagebd.net/post/opinion/304572/from-exporting-labour-to-exporting-human-capital

From exporting labour to exporting human capital

Bangladesh sent a record 1.1 million workers abroad in 2025. | New Age

FEW countries have transformed themselves as dramatically as Bangladesh since independence in 1971. Once derided by foreign observers as a ‘basket case,’ Bangladesh has emerged as South Asia’s second-largest economy and one of the developing world’s most compelling success stories.

Three pillars have underpinned this transformation: the ready-made garment industry, agriculture and overseas migration. Together they have generated employment, ensured food security, earned foreign exchange and lifted millions out of poverty.

Among these, remittances occupy a uniquely strategic position. They finance imports, strengthen foreign exchange reserves, support domestic consumption, reduce poverty and provide an economic lifeline to millions of households. Equally important, overseas employment absorbs workers whom the domestic economy is often unable to employ productively.

Bangladesh deployed a record 1.1 million workers abroad in 2025. Millions more Bangladeshis live and work overseas, while a large diaspora continues to contribute through remittances and investment. For decades, this migration model has been one of the country’s greatest economic strengths.

Yet the global labour market is changing. The question facing Bangladesh today is no longer whether labour migration will continue. The real question is whether Bangladesh can successfully transition from a labour-export economy to a human-capital-export economy.

The end of the old migration model?

BANGLADESH’S overseas employment success was built largely on the export of low-skilled and semi-skilled workers to the Gulf states during a period of unprecedented infrastructure expansion and oil-fuelled economic growth.

That model is now facing growing pressures.

The first challenge comes from structural changes within Gulf economies themselves. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and other regional powers continue to invest heavily in infrastructure and diversification. However, the long-term shift towards renewable energy, economic restructuring and changing global energy consumption patterns means that labour demand may not expand indefinitely as it did during previous decades.

The second challenge is technological change. Automation, robotics and artificial intelligence are beginning to affect sectors that traditionally absorbed large numbers of migrant workers, including logistics, warehousing, retail, transportation, administration and even certain construction activities. The impact will be gradual rather than sudden, but the direction of travel is clear: low-skilled jobs will become increasingly vulnerable.

Third, labour nationalisation programmes such as Saudization, Emiratisation and Omanisation are becoming more sophisticated and politically entrenched. Governments across the Gulf are under pressure to create employment opportunities for their own citizens. While such policies have produced mixed results in the past, improvements in education, digital governance and labour market management are making them more effective than before.

Bangladesh also faces growing geopolitical and economic risks. Regional conflicts, diplomatic tensions, economic slowdowns or fluctuations in energy prices can quickly affect labour demand in destination countries. Given Bangladesh’s heavy dependence on a relatively small number of labour markets, any major disruption could have significant consequences. GeographicReference

Finally, international competition is intensifying. Countries such as India, Pakistan, Nepal, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines are competing aggressively for overseas employment opportunities. Several African countries are also entering the market. In such an environment, countries that rely primarily on exporting low-skilled workers will find themselves competing in the most replaceable segment of the global labour force.

The future belongs to skills

DESPITE these challenges, the future of migration remains bright for countries that can adapt.

Many advanced economies are confronting severe demographic pressures. Aging populations and shrinking workforces are creating sustained demand for nurses, caregivers, healthcare technicians, engineers, industrial workers, IT professionals and a wide range of certified technical personnel.

Japan, South Korea, Germany, Italy and several other European countries are already experiencing labour shortages in critical sectors. Their challenge is not a lack of jobs but a lack of workers.

This presents a historic opportunity for Bangladesh.

The countries that will benefit most from the next phase of global labour mobility will not necessarily be those that export the largest number of workers. They will be those that export the most valuable skills.

Bangladesh must therefore shift its focus from the quantity of workers it sends abroad to the quality of workers it prepares and deploys.

Human capital as a strategic export industry

THIS requires a fundamental change in national thinking. Overseas employment can no longer be viewed merely as a social safety valve or an employment programme. It should be treated as a strategic export industry.

Just as Bangladesh spent decades building institutions, policies, infrastructure and incentives to support the garment sector, it must now create an integrated ecosystem for the export of skilled human capital.

The starting point must be education and training.

Technical and vocational education should be aligned directly with the needs of international labour markets. Training programmes must be designed around the requirements of employers in Japan, Germany, South Korea, the Gulf states and other emerging destinations.

Internationally recognised certification should become a national priority. Employers increasingly seek workers whose qualifications can be verified and accepted across borders. Without globally recognised credentials, Bangladeshi workers will struggle to compete against better-prepared candidates from rival countries. GeographicReference

Language training is equally important. Technical skills alone are often insufficient. Workers seeking opportunities in Japan, Germany or South Korea must possess at least basic language proficiency alongside occupational competence.

Bangladesh must also invest in what might be called ‘labour branding.’ Countries develop reputations in global labour markets. The Philippines, for example, has built a strong international reputation in nursing and caregiving. Bangladesh needs to develop its own global brand based on reliability, professionalism, certification and productivity.

‘Brand Bangladesh Workers’ should become a national objective.

Reforming the migration architecture

SKILLS alone will not be enough. Bangladesh’s migration governance system was designed for a different era. Today, it is fragmented across multiple ministries, departments, agencies and regulatory bodies. The result is often duplication, inefficiency, bureaucratic delay and weak accountability.

The ministry of expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment, together with institutions such as BMET, BOESL, the Wage Earners’ Welfare Board, Probashi Kallyan Bank and the Technical Training Centres, performs important functions. Yet there is growing concern that the existing structure is not equipped to respond effectively to rapidly changing global labour market conditions.

What Bangladesh requires is a comprehensive review of its entire migration governance framework.

One proposal worthy of serious consideration is the establishment of an autonomous national authority dedicated exclusively to overseas employment and migration strategy. Operating at the highest levels of government, such a body could coordinate skills development, labour market intelligence, international negotiations, migrant protection, digitalisation and long-term planning.

Most importantly, it could ensure that migration policy is treated not merely as an administrative function but as a strategic economic priority.

The country should also be willing to draw upon international expertise. Successful labour-exporting nations routinely engage specialised consultants, industry experts and international partners to modernise systems and identify emerging opportunities. There is no reason Bangladesh should hesitate to do the same.

The need for labour diplomacy

THE future of migration will increasingly be shaped by diplomacy. Bangladesh cannot afford to remain dependent on a handful of destination countries. Diversification must become a national priority. GeographicReference

East Asia, Europe and selected emerging markets offer significant opportunities for skilled workers. Accessing these markets requires sustained diplomatic engagement, government-to-government agreements and sophisticated labour market negotiations.

Bangladesh’s diplomats should be trained not only in traditional diplomacy but also in labour market development and migration management. In the decades ahead, labour diplomacy may become as important as trade diplomacy.

A choice that cannot be delayed

REMITTANCES will remain one of the pillars of Bangladesh’s economy for years to come. Indeed, inflows may continue growing in the near term as migration remains robust and formal remittance channels improve. But relying indefinitely on low-skilled labour exports would be a strategic mistake.

The global economy is changing too rapidly. Automation, demographic shifts, labour nationalisation policies and international competition are reshaping migration markets. Countries that fail to adapt risk being left behind.

Bangladesh still possesses a valuable window of opportunity. By modernising vocational education, expanding internationally recognised certification, strengthening language training, improving governance, digitalising migration systems and pursuing an ambitious labour diplomacy agenda, it can reposition itself for the next phase of global labour mobility.

The choice is straightforward. Bangladesh can continue exporting workers and hope that yesterday’s model survives tomorrow’s challenges. Or it can transform itself into a leading exporter of skilled human capital.

The difference between those two paths may well determine the country’s economic trajectory for the next generation.

Mohiuddin Zaman, is a retired Bangladeshi-Canadian banker with interest in regional and international affairs and economic issues.​