Remittance falls despite rise in overseas employment

Bangladesh has sent over 704,078 workers abroad with employment and received $ 12,651.04 million as remittance this year that contributes significantly to the socioeconomic development of the nation.Officials have said although overseas employment for Bangladeshi workers has increased significantly this year, their safety, security, health and wages issues still remain a concern for migrant rights' activists.

According to statistics of the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), this is the highest figure since 2008 when overseas employment pea-ked at over 8.75 lakh. Last year, the figure was 5.5 lakh.

The ministry data show the government has also undertaken projects to install five more Institute of Marine Technologies at Munshiganj, Sirajganj, Chandpur, Faridpur and Bagerhat and 30 more vocational training centres at various places aimed to turn manpower into skilled and semi-skilled one.

Expatriates Welfare Minister Nurul Islam expressed satisfaction over this year's overseas employ-ment figure. However, migrant rights' activists are unhappy about workers' protection.

"I can happily say that a total of 7.22 lakh Bangladeshis have taken jobs abroad so far this year. We hope, the figure will be more than 7.5 lakh by the end of this year," the minister said.