Bida moves to ease foreigners' recruitment thru streamlined visa, work permit process

The interim government is moving to modernise Bangladesh's visa and work permit system, aiming to make the recruitment of foreign workers easier, by digitising payments, simplifying permit and visa procedures, and introducing stricter penalties for violations.

Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida) Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun made the announcement today (15 October) during a high-level workshop on "Work Permit and Security Clearance Process", organised by the development authority.

Responding to questions at the event, Chowdhury Ashik said, "We are addressing issues like visa conversion and implementing tougher measures against those who break the rules. The new policy will make life difficult for offenders while easing procedures for compliant operators."

Bida organised the workshop in collaboration with the home affairs ministry and relevant security agencies to enhance coordination and improve services for foreign professionals. 

The session, held at Bida's Multipurpose Hall in Agargaon, was supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the TEPP-II project. Senior officials, including Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Md Delwar Hossain and Bida Director General Md Ariful Haque, attended the event.

Ashik further said Bida aims to streamline the process while enforcing stricter oversight. "We are simplifying certain procedures while tightening enforcement to curb malpractice," he said.

For example, the visa-on-arrival fee is complicated, he noted. To make the process easier, he said Chinese operators can now pay the visa-on-arrival fee in Chinese yuan (RMB), with the equivalent of $50 fixed at 440 yuan for the next six months to avoid daily exchange rate complications.

The Bida chief added that these reforms are part of a broader effort to modernise the system and eliminate longstanding bottlenecks. "We have already launched the online security clearance process as of 1 October, and we are working to digitalise visa fee payments to make the system faster and more transparent," he said.

Recently, the online security clearance process for work permits went fully live on 1 October. Applicants must now submit documents through Bida's One Stop Service Portal. 

If no objections are raised within 21 working days, clearance will be automatically granted. Failure to apply on time will render the work permit invalid. 

The number of required documents has been cut from 34 to 11, consolidating overlapping requirements and making the process more efficient.

Meanwhile, speakers at the workshop also highlighted environmental concerns over low-quality lead-acid batteries used in easy bikes, noting that many are produced by foreign companies operating under lax oversight.

Acknowledging the issue, the Bida executive chairman said, "It's true that we have not yet moved towards high-quality battery production. Environmentally harmful lead-acid batteries are still widely used. Both foreign and local investors share responsibility for this."

He said efforts are underway to bring battery recycling under the economic zones to make it both economically viable and environmentally sustainable.

Representatives from the National Security Intelligence (NSI) and the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) shared field observations, noting that some foreign workers continue employment beyond the permitted five-year term by shifting between companies within the same group or by obtaining separate permits from both Bida and Bepza.

In response, Bida reaffirmed that, as a general rule, no foreign worker should remain employed in Bangladesh for more than five years.

"Foreign workers contribute to our economy just as our migrant workers do abroad," said the Bida chairman. 

"But within a set timeframe, our own people must be prepared to take their place. We are tightening monitoring to prevent any misuse of the system. No one will receive special privileges simply for being a foreign national," Ashik added.