Govt must stop foreigners working illegally in Bangladesh

Due to lax monitoring, more than 10 lakh foreign workers and employees are currently working illegally in Bangladesh, depriving local citizens of employment opportunities based on merit, say researchers and political analysts at a roundtable discussion in the capital.

They alleged that a significant portion of Bangladeshi workers’ hard-earned remittances is flowing abroad, particularly to India, facilitated by illegal foreign workers.

As their incomes are not being recorded, our country is missing out on a huge amount of revenue that could have been derived in the form of taxes.

Almost all of them send a huge chunk of their money to their home countries through unofficial channels.

Reportedly, many foreigners come to Bangladesh on tourist visa, get jobs and continue to work here.

In the apparel sector, many Indian and Sri Lankans are working without employment visas.

But every citizen of Bangladesh has the constitutional right to equal opportunities.

In the last decade and a half, the issue of unemployment has escalated drastically.

The current unemployment rate stands at 12 per cent, the highest ever recorded.

The severity of unemployment has led to tragic incidents where Bangladeshi citizens lose their lives in pursuit of employment, from the Bay of Bengal to the Mediterranean.

In order to work in Bangladesh, foreigners are required to get their work permit from the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority.

But many have chosen not to do so.

We do not have any problem with foreigners working in Bangladesh.

But they need to obey the rules. Additionally, the government agencies have no data on the number of foreign nationals working in our country.

Despite these grave concerns, the government has not taken sufficient steps to repatriate all illegal workers, leaving the reasons behind this inaction unclear, they added.

It is imperative for the government to address this issue for the sake of its citizens.

We hope the government will make the employment visa process for foreigners more convenient and hassle-free.

Also, the government should ensure measures so that no one can stay or work illegally in Bangladesh.