Enlisting expats gets hamstrung as missions lack trained staffers

The programme to enlist expatriate Bangladeshis in an official database has been held back by a lack of skilled personnel at overseas missions, officials familiar with the situation said.

The Wage Earners' Welfare Board (WEWB) launched the enlistment programme in early June for overseas Bangladeshis who went abroad without clearance from the state-run Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET).

So far, some 350 workers from four job destination countries got registered with the bureau's database. Of the workers, 60 per cent in Italy, 25 per cent in Greece and the rest are from Australia and Saudi Arabia, according to the board.

The missions in other destinations have not started the services yet due to a lack of skilled manpower, officials said.

Currently, about 3.0 million Bangladeshi expatriates are staying abroad without clearance of the BMET.

This will leave them out of the services the board offers to wage earners, the officials said.

The board launched the programme without training up the officials at the labour wings, which makes it difficult for them to get the registration process done, said an official who wished to remain unidentified.

Had the programme run properly, at least 40,000 Bangladeshis would been enlisted by this time, said the official. Expatriates are coming at the mission offices to be enlisted, but officials concerned can't deliver the services, he added.

Bangladesh mission office in Italy received good response from the expatriates as it has efficient manpower to perform the job, he added.

He also said not only the migrants, but also the board would benefit from raising fund through the programme.

The board has fixed Tk 3,500 in fees for an individual to get enlisted. The money has to be submitted to Bangladesh missions abroad.

"It is not a difficult task. Officials at missions have been trained on how to complete the procedure of registration," said Gazi Mohammad Julhas, director general of the board.

While the number of registration is still low owing to a lack of awareness among the expatriates, he said that the board has taken up publicity campaigns through Bangladesh embassies and local administrations to make them aware.

"We have already sent letters to the Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs) and Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to publicise the campaign among the families of expatriate Bangladeshis," he noted.

The board has some facilities for expatriates such as Tk 300,000 for the family of a deceased migrant worker and an amount of Tk 100,000 for treatment of ailing migrant workers.

The broad has also stipend programme for the meritorious children of migrants.

The board has also plans including setting up of a diagnostic centre and insurance coverage for migrants.

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