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The Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment has sought a lump sum allocation of Tk 500 million as seed money for the state-run Wage Earners' Welfare Board (WEWB) in the next national budget, sources said.
It recently requested the finance ministry to take necessary steps to provide the fund so that the WEWB can render services to unregistered expatriate workers, they added.
According to Rule 7 of the Wage Earners' Welfare Board Rules 2023, to receive services provided by the board, expatriate workers must be registered under Section 19 of the Overseas Employment and Immigration Act 2013 or have an exit clearance under Section 20.
Recently, the aforementioned rules were amended and this was added to Rule 7, "…provided that in times of war, natural disasters, lay-off of the employing institution or company or financial distress of the institution or in any special emergency situation."
The board may provide assistance to any number of registered or unregistered expatriates on the basis of the demand of the government.
A senior official of the board said, "On the basis of the demand of the government in emergency situations, as per Rule 7 of the Revised Wage Earners Welfare Board Rules 2023, an allocation of Tk 500 million as seed money is required for WEWB as a government grant in the fiscal year 2025-26."
As per the decision of the 328th board meeting of WEWB, the expatriate Bangladeshis who were in danger due to the war situation in Lebanon have already been brought back to the country, a process that required more than Tk 169 million.
Besides, some 186 workers who lost their jobs and returned to Bangladesh from the United Arab Emirates in solidarity with the anti-discrimination student movement have been provided with financial assistance of Tk 9.3 million.
According to Section 14 sub-section 1 of the Wage Earners Welfare Board Act 2018, the board can collect funds from various sources, which are spent on various types of welfare services for workers as per the rules.
As per Section 14 sub-section 1 (a), although it is provided that grants given by the government will be a source of funds for the board, no grant or money has been given by the government so far.
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