Govt to launch Expatriate Card for overseas Bangladeshis

Published : Friday, 12 June, 2026 at 11:21 AM Count : 138

The government plans to launch a special "Expatriate Card" in FY2026-27 to streamline services for Bangladeshi migrant workers and expatriates, Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said while presenting the proposed national budget in parliament on Thursday.

The card will be linked to expatriate welfare services, insurance schemes, banking facilities and emergency assistance, allowing overseas Bangladeshis to access various government benefits and legal support through a single platform.

The minister said the government has initiated efforts to sign bilateral agreements with Russia, Portugal, Romania, Brazil, Greece, Serbia and North Macedonia as alternative labour markets. It has also begun the process of reopening labour markets in Malaysia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.

To encourage remittance inflows through formal channels, the existing 2.5 percent cash incentive will continue. The minister noted that remittance earnings reached a record $3.75 billion in March, the highest ever received in a single month.

He also said the government is focusing on demand-driven skills development for both domestic and overseas labour markets. Special training courses and updated curricula are being introduced in sectors with high international demand, alongside measures to improve certification standards and market-based training programmes.

TZ