Govt Seeks New Labour Markets Amid Middle East Crisis

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman replied to questions during the question-and-answer session today.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has said the government is actively exploring alternative labour markets in response to ongoing instability in Iran and parts of the Middle East.

Speaking during a question-and-answer session in parliament on Wednesday, he said Bangladesh missions abroad have been instructed to identify new job destinations and assess demand for profession-specific skills among foreign employers.

He added that, where necessary, local lobbying firms are being engaged in different countries based on recommendations from Bangladeshi missions to help expand employment opportunities.

The government has already taken initiatives to sign bilateral agreements with several countries, including Serbia, Greece, North Macedonia, Romania, Portugal, Brazil and Russia, to diversify overseas employment markets.

Efforts are also underway to organise high-level visits to countries outside the Middle East to strengthen ties and facilitate labour recruitment. At the same time, steps are being taken to reopen the Malaysian labour market and to create new opportunities in Thailand through bilateral arrangements.

Highlighting growing demand in East Asia, the prime minister said the scope of Japanese language and skills training has been expanded to boost manpower exports to Japan. Training is now being provided at 53 Technical Training Centres, while instructors for multiple foreign languages, including Japanese, Russian, Arabic, German and Italian, have been recruited.

He further said Bangladeshi missions have been asked to assess opportunities for skilled professionals—such as doctors, engineers and bankers—in the Middle East, as workforce gaps emerge due to the ongoing conflict.

To support aspiring workers, the government has increased the loan limit for language study visas to Tk 1 million without collateral. Measures have also been taken to retrain returning migrants, recognise their previous experience, and equip them with updated skills in line with global job market demands.

The prime minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding overseas employment and safeguarding the interests of Bangladeshi workers amid shifting global conditions.