Manpower exporters demand budget allocation to explore Europe and developed countries' labour markets
They said Bangladesh needs the embassies or consulate offices of those European and developed world countries – who have embassies or consulate offices in India – in its preferred locations
Leaders of the Recruiting Agencies Association of Bangladesh for Europe and Developed Countries (RAABED) have called for a special allocation in the FY2025 budget to explore the labour markets of Europe and various developed countries by creating an efficient and skilled workforce.
They said Bangladesh needs the embassies or consulate offices of those European and developed world countries – who have embassies or consulate offices in India – in its preferred locations, and an allocation in the national budget is needed to this end.
Addressing at a press briefing organised today (26 June) to formally start the journey of RAABED, a new platform of manpower recruiting agencies, its President Arifur Rahman said, "At present, there is a demand of 87 lakh workers in 31 countries, including Germany, Romania, Serbia, Italy, Greece, Canada, Russia, Japan, Australia. But due to lack of skilled workers, Bangladesh cannot capture that market."
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He said despite the establishment of various training centres by both the government and private sector in Bangladesh, the development of skilled workers is hindered by the lack of alignment with the requirements of European and developed countries.
"We now have to create skilled workers, and for that purpose we have formed the organisation (RAABED)," he added.
Responding to a query from journalists, General Secretary of the association, Siddikur Rahman said Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Singapore are the main labour market for Bangladesh. Due to a lack of skills, the remittances inflow from these countries is much lower in comparison to the number of workers sent there.
At the event, the association also placed various other demands to drive up manpower export from Bangladesh.
The demands include increasing skilled workforce in the embassies of Bangladesh in different countries, allowing expatriates to vote in national elections, managing educational institutions and technical training centres across the country with their instructors, syllabus and supervision as per the requirement of the recruiting country, introduction of one stop service for expatriate workers, preventing visa trade; arranging awareness programnes to reduce the tendency of workers fleeing the workplace in Europe after joining.
