'More than 11 lakh women workers have gone abroad in 15 years'

State Minister for Expatriate Welfare and Foreign Employment Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury said that 11 lakh 14 thousand women workers have been employed abroad in the last 15 years.

He gave this information in response to a question in Parliament on Sunday (June 23).

The State Minister said that in the last 15 years, ie from 2009 till now (June 11, 2024), 11 lakh 14 thousand 312 women workers have been employed abroad. Saudi Arabia has the highest number of women workers.

In response to another question, he said, sending workers abroad is an ongoing process. Considering the importance, the government has continued to take various steps for foreign employment at a higher rate. As part of the mainstreaming of private sector development, licenses are issued in favor of private recruiting agencies. Agencies are sending workers abroad with exit clearance from the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET).

He also said that through Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOSEL), a government recruiting agency under the control of the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Foreign Employment, workers are being regularly sent to various European countries including Jordan, South Korea, Japan, Fiji, Malaysia at low and free cost.