Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury announced the introduction of a special 'Expatriate Card' for overseas workers in the upcoming fiscal year's budget. The card will be linked to expatriate welfare services, insurance, banking facilities, and emergency assistance, allowing expatriates to access various government benefits and legal protections through a single card. The announcement was made during the presentation of the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2026-27 in the Jatiya Sangsad on Thursday.
The minister highlighted that the BNP government is giving special priority to the expansion of foreign employment and the protection and welfare of expatriate Bangladeshi manpower. He also mentioned plans to continue incentives for maintaining the flow of expatriate income through legitimate channels, explore new alternative labor markets, and develop skilled manpower.
Chowdhury stated that the government has taken initiatives to sign bilateral agreements with Russia, Portugal, Romania, Brazil, Greece, Serbia, and North Macedonia to explore alternative labor markets. Additionally, the government has started the process of reopening labor markets in Malaysia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait after a long period of closure.
The finance minister announced the continuation of the existing 2.5% cash incentive to encourage the sending of expatriate income through legitimate channels. He noted that in March, the flow of expatriate income reached a record high of $3.75 billion in a single month since the current government took power. The incentive will be continued to maintain this flow of expatriate income.
Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury informed that the government has planned to increase professional skills based on the actual demand of the domestic and foreign labor markets. Special courses and curricula are being introduced for sectors with high demand for jobs abroad. At the same time, market-based training, curriculum development, and quality control of certificates are being enhanced.
