The country has recently celebrated the inaugural National Diaspora Day. The Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Foreign Employment celebrated the day on December 30 by holding a number of events. The event occurred Saturday at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital. The day’s theme was ‘Welfare of expatriates, dignity—our commitment—and they are also equal partners in building a smart Bangladesh’. Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen will attend the event as the chief guest. Imran Ahmed, the Minister of Expatriate Welfare and Foreign Employment, presided over the event. On National Expatriate Day, scholarships are awarded to deserving children of migrant workers, and non-resident Bangladeshi CIPs are also recognised and honoured. In addition to that, cultural events have been organised as well. The Cabinet approved the proposal to celebrate National Expatriate Day on December 30 last year. The Cabinet Department has issued a circular classifying the day as the ‘B’ category. In light of this, the country celebrated National Expatriate Day for the first time. The Bureau of Manpower, Employment, and Training (BMET) organises district-to-district job fairs on this special day. These fairs aim to promote safe, regular, and legal migration for individuals seeking employment opportunities.
In addition, Bangladeshi missions abroad celebrate a special service week in honour of National Expatriate Day. At Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, expatriate workers were warmly greeted with flowers.
Minister Imran Ahmed does not believe that the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Foreign Employment bears any responsibility for decreased remittances from expatriates. The minister confidently stated that the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare should not be criticised for not increasing remittances. He emphasised that their primary responsibility is to facilitate the migration of individuals and ensure that remittances are successfully sent to either the Ministry of Finance or the Bangladesh Bank.
He made these remarks during a function held to commemorate National Diaspora Day. The country celebrated National Expatriate Day for the first time, adopting the motto “Welfare, Dignity of Expatriates: Our Commitment, They are Equal Partners in Building Smart Bangladesh.”
During the event organised by the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Foreign Employment, the minister highlighted the growing demand for Bangladeshi workers in the global labour market. Last year, a total of 1.1 million individuals travelled abroad. He believes that this year, the number will exceed 1.2 million. The minister anticipates that next year it will also be recorded.
Imran Ahmad emphasised the need for increased focus on training centres to enhance workers’ skills. Additionally, he acknowledged the need for coordination between recruitment agencies and training centres.
The foreign minister acknowledged and highlighted the valuable contributions made by expatriates. I’m sorry, but I’m unsure what you mean by “AK.” According to Abdul Momen, expatriate Bangladeshis play a crucial role as partners in the country’s development. A significant portion of the government’s reserves is derived from the income of expatriates. The Ministry of External Affairs is actively working to safeguard expatriates’ interests on both bilateral and multilateral platforms.
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and Expatriate Welfare Secretary Ahmed Muniruch Salehin attended the event. They are responsible for genuinely evaluating expatriates.