Reza Mahmud :
The interim government led by Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus is set to prioritise and revitalise the country’s significant foreign currency-earning sector: manpower export.
This sector is expected to see increased activity as Bangladesh seeks to expand its overseas job markets.
Stakeholders are optimistic that Dr. Yunus’s international reputation and leadership will foster growth in the manpower export sector. Experts have called for the development of a skilled workforce and improved governance to ensure sustainable sectoral growth.
Shariful Hasan, Associate Director of BRAC’s Migration and Youth Initiatives, told The New Nation on Saturday, “As Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus is a renowned global figure, his leadership could greatly expand potential job markets for Bangladeshi workers.”
He emphasised the need for more trained and skilled manpower to capitalise on these opportunities and ensure good governance within the sector.
Md. Tipu Sultan, Joint Secretary General of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) and Proprietor of Rajdhani Trade International, also expressed optimism.
“We hope that, similar to other closed labour markets, Malaysia will reopen for our workers soon, as the leaders of the two countries are close friends,” he remarked, noting that negotiations might be underway behind the scenes.
Sources indicate that the interim government is focusing on expanding international labour markets to address the shortage of foreign currency, a situation exacerbated by the previous government’s poor reserve management. This effort is crucial, as economic paralysis has hindered the import of capital machinery.
In addition to boosting commodity exports, such as ready-made garments, the interim government is working diligently to open
new job markets abroad.
Efforts are being made to engage potential markets in the Middle East, Malaysia, Brunei, Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan), and Europe.
Recent developments include Brunei Darussalam resuming the hiring of Bangladeshi workers after a long hiatus. Kuwait has also pledged to recruit more Bangladeshi workers, including skilled professionals.
In Brunei, a government-to-government (G2G) deal signed in October 2022 has resulted in the hiring of 25 Bangladeshi workers in construction, services, and hospitality sectors.
Noor Ahmed, Deputy General Manager at Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL), noted that there have been 400 job requests from 100 employers, with the potential to send 2,000 to 3,000 workers to Brunei annually.
Kuwait’s commitment to hiring more Bangladeshi workers was reaffirmed by Faisal Mutlaq Al Adwani, the Kuwaiti ambassador to Dhaka, during his farewell visit to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.
The ambassador highlighted the current employment of over 300,000 Bangladeshis in Kuwait and expressed a desire to recruit additional professionals, including doctors, nurses, and engineers.
Meanwhile, there is cautious optimism regarding Malaysia’s labour market, which closed on May 31 this year.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim recently expressed support for enhancing bilateral relations and providing more work opportunities for Bangladeshis.
With around 1 million Bangladeshi workers currently in Malaysia, this market remains a critical area of focus for the interim government.
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