Dhaka: Bangladesh sent 4,90,406 workers with overseas jobs and received Taka 66,528.07 crore as remittances in August 2016, said an official to BSS.

“Manpower export is a prospective sector in the country and the present government has already established various institutions for building skilled and semi-skilled manpower aimed at getting more overseas jobs for them easily”, he said adding that the government has taken a realistic plan to send workers abroad with employment.

The official said the present government has sent workers to over 160 countries successfully due to bold and dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Haisna and her strong relations with the countries taking labour from Bangladesh as well as other developed countries.

“Efforts are underway to explore new labour markets all over the globe and the government has set up technical training centres at district headquarters to produce skilled and semi-skilled workers,” he said.

According to information provided by the ministry, the government set up 47 vocational training centres, four institutes of marine technology across the country for imparting training to a large number of workers and a project has been undertaken to set up over 400 upazila-level vocational training centres for making manpower skilled.

The government declared the overseas employment sector as the “thrust sector” with maximum stress upon further expanding job markets for the Bangladeshi job seekers abroad.

Besides, the government is implementing various programmes including training courses on language, welding, electrical devices, pipe fitting, plantation, swing trade, rod binding and housemaid to turn the huge population of the country into potential human resource.

The government also reduced migration cost successfully so that overseas job seekers could go abroad with employments freely.

Bangladesh sent 1,01,89,093 workers to different countries and received Taka 10,84,592.80 crore as remittances in August 31, 2016 from 1976.