Staff Reporter :
State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, Shofiqur Rahman Chowdhury, announced on Thursday that actions will be taken against those who are responsible who failed to send workers to Malaysia by the May 31 deadline.
He further said that the punitive actions will be determined following the receipt of an investigative report on the matter.
Addressing queries from journalists, the state minister also highlighted the absence of information regarding the number of workers who may have resorted to illegal means to seek employment abroad.
When questioned about the tragic deaths of migrant workers due to mistreatment abroad, Chowdhury remarked, “Life and death are in the hands of Allah.”
Furthermore, he assured that the bodies of Bangladeshi workers who perished in boat capsized in the Mediterranean Sea would be repatriated soon.
Chowdhury made these statements during an event held at the Bangladesh-German Technical Training Center in Dhaka, where 25 skilled workers were awarded Smart cards.
He emphasized that the ministry would take decisive action against those responsible for the delayed deployment of workers to Malaysia, pending the investigative findings. Additionally, compensation will be provided to affected individuals.
Highlighting other initiatives, the state minister noted that skilled workers are now being sent to Japan at a cost of only Tk 5,150 under government programs.
This year, 46 Bangladeshi workers have already been dispatched to Japan after receiving training in the Japanese language. Chowdhury also announced plans to send an additional 25 technical interns to Tokyo in the near future.
In retrospect, he mentioned that in 2023, a total of 208 Bangladeshi workers had successfully been sent to Japan for employment opportunities.