Editorial
Manpower export policy
We shouldn't be missing any buses
The fact that the government, after having identified the need for a comprehensive policy on export of manpower back in 2003, has not been able to formulate such a policy in the intervening two years, indicates the shockingly low priority having been placed on the sector in a critical phase of the globalisation process.This constitutes a serious lapse that shortchanges what has come to be one of the mainstays of the Bangladesh economy and ignores the legitimate needs, aspirations, and expectations of millions of Bangladeshi citizens who have a right to government assistance and attention in the field. The total number of Bangladeshis working abroad is now in excess of 4 million, with some 250,000 new job seekers being added to the number every year. These migrant workers remit an astonishing $4 billion back to the country annually, which is the core of the country's foreign exchange reserves, and far outstrips overseas development assistance disbursed by the donors and export earnings from all sectors other than garments. Nevertheless, no government, and certainly not the incumbent one, has ever afforded our overseas workers the respect that they deserve. The conditions in which they toil are often unacceptably oppressive, and cheating and abuse both by the manpower exporting agencies and in the host countries are rampant. And, when visiting home country they are often mistreated. Further, the sector is today poised at a historic crossroads and it is imperative that the government quickly put in place a policy to best take advantage of the changing world market for labour. In recent years, there has been a small decline in the number of Bangladeshi job-seekers sent overseas as the traditional manpower importing countries have moved towards nativisation of their work force. But at the same time, new countries, particularly in Latin America, are entering the market to take advantage of freer trading regimens and the increased volume of world trade, and the government should ensure that Bangladeshi manpower is well positioned to reap the benefits. What is needed is full government attention to the sector that includes market-targeted, demand-oriented training for those to be sent overseas. Unfortunately, as things stand right now, this is very low on the list of official priorities. It is imperative that the government formulate and put in place a policy for this all-important sector and take full advantage of the new opportunities for manpower export now falling by the wayside for lack of a policy.
| 
