A total of 11,32,519 Bangladeshi workers secured employment abroad in 2025, including 62,352 women, according to Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury.

He shared the information today (5 April) while responding to a written question from lawmaker Al Faruq Abdul Latif in parliament.

The minister said the government has prioritised the expatriate sector in its election manifesto and has already formulated a 180-day action plan to expand overseas employment opportunities and labour markets.

Ariful also informed that Bangladeshi workers are currently being sent to key destinations including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Romania, Seychelles, Portugal and Russia. “At the same time, diplomatic efforts are ongoing to reopen or expand labour markets in Malaysia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.”

He added that Bangladesh has signed agreements or memoranda of understanding with 18 countries to facilitate manpower export.

According to the minister, under a deal with Japan, workers are being sent as technical interns without migration costs, and the government aims to send one lakh workers to Japan over the next five years.

A dedicated ‘Japan Cell’ has also been established to support this initiative.

To build a skilled workforce, the government is providing training through 104 technical training centres and six Institutes of Marine Technology. Language training programmes have also been strengthened to prepare workers for overseas employment.

Separately, the minister said the government is not interested in sending workers to Malaysia through a limited number of recruiting agencies, a practice previously criticised as a syndicate system.

Responding to a question from MP Md Abul Hasnat, he said, “The government aims to ensure transparency, accountability and competition by keeping the labour market open to all qualified licensed recruiting agencies.”

“Diplomatic communication with Malaysian authorities is ongoing in this regard,” Ariful added.