Govt targets 1cr overseas jobs in 5 years: State minister

The government has set a target of creating overseas employment opportunities for one crore Bangladeshis over the next five years through labour market diversification, large-scale skills development, lower migration costs, digitalisation of migration services and expanded welfare programmes for expatriate workers. 

The roadmap, unveiled by State Minister for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Md Nurul Haque in an exclusive interview with BSS, also aims to make overseas migration more transparent, affordable and skill-based while reducing dependence on traditional labour markets in the Middle East. 

"Our election pledge is to create one crore overseas jobs in five years. We have already started working towards that goal," he said. 

The state minister said the ministry has already collected demand forecasts from Bangladeshi missions abroad and identified requirements for nearly Tk1.15 crore foreign workers, providing a strong foundation for achieving the target. 

"Now our task is to prepare skilled manpower and connect them with those overseas opportunities. I believe we will be able to achieve the target within five years while making the migration process more systematic," he said. 

Currently, around Tk11 to Tk12 lakh Bangladeshis go abroad for employment every year. According to Nurul Haque, the government plans to gradually increase that number by producing more skilled workers. 

The state minister said the government's migration reform strategy rests on four key priorities-simplifying migration procedures, reducing migration costs, developing skilled manpower and strengthening expatriate welfare.

He said overseas migration would gradually be brought under a one-stop service system to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and eliminate unnecessary dependence on middlemen. 

"We want migrant workers to receive all necessary services from a single point. Our objective is to reduce harassment, simplify procedures and make migration easier for ordinary people," he added.

Nurul Haque said the government also plans to introduce country-specific migration cost structures to reduce workers' expenses before going abroad. The government is simultaneously shifting its focus from low-skilled migration to skill-based overseas employment.

Recognising rapidly changing global labour market demands, the ministry is modernising all 110 Technical Training Centres (TTCs) across the country to produce internationally competitive workers. 

"Without skills, it is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain jobs or remain competitive abroad. That is why skill development has become our highest priority," the state minister said.

Bangladesh is also building a digital database of trained workers, enabling overseas employers to recruit candidates directly according to their occupational requirements. 

"If a country requires 10,000 shipbuilding workers or trained female caregivers, employers will be able to search our database and immediately find workers with the required qualifications," he said. 

To reduce heavy dependence on the Middle East, the government is expanding labour markets in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, where demand for skilled workers is expected to grow, he said, adding, "Bangladesh has already signed labour agreements with several countries, while negotiations with others are continuing."

Nurul Haque said Europe and the Asia-Pacific region would become major destinations for Bangladeshi workers as demographic changes and technological transformation continue to create demand for skilled manpower. Training programmes are now being aligned with country-specific labour requirements, he added. 

In Japan, the state minister said Bangladesh's agreement to send 100,000 workers remains on track, although recruitment is progressing gradually.

"Japan is evaluating the performance, discipline and work culture of Bangladeshi workers before expanding recruitment on a larger scale. Once confidence is established, recruitment will accelerate," he said. 

Expressing optimism over reopening Malaysia's labour market, the state minister said both countries have reached a policy-level understanding to introduce a transparent and near-zero-cost recruitment system aimed at eliminating worker exploitation and excessive migration costs. 

A Malaysian delegation is expected to visit Bangladesh soon, after which the Joint Working Committee of the two countries will work on revising the existing memorandum of understanding, he added.

The state minister said both sides are committed to reducing intermediaries, ensuring fairness and preventing worker exploitation in future recruitment. The approach aligns with recent Bangladesh-Malaysia discussions on transparent, technology-driven recruitment and lowering migration costs. 

Alongside labour market expansion, the government is introducing several welfare initiatives, including a digital 'Probashi Card' with personal information, banking facilities and QR code-based verification.

The ministry is also digitising overseas employment services so that migration clearance and document submission can be completed online.

The government is further considering a dedicated hospital for expatriates, a Skill Investment Park, housing projects and a Probashi City to encourage migrant investment after returning home.

Nurul Haque said scholarship programmes for expatriates' children, financial assistance for injured returnee workers and rehabilitation support for distressed migrants, particularly women, would continue.

"Our objective is not simply to send more workers abroad, but to ensure they migrate safely, work with dignity and receive proper support throughout their migration journey," he said.