"It's a very good news and the process for sending the workers has already started," he added while addressing a weekly press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He said the government has set up a coordination committee with officials from the ministries of foreign affairs, labour and employment, civil aviation, home and the Department of Passport and Immigration, Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training, and Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Ltd (BOESL) to resolve problems in sending skilled manpower abroad.

Of the 1,05,000 workers to be recruited, 26,000 workers received clearance from the Malaysian authorities and 18,000 have already left for Kuala Lumpur. The government has fixed Tk 85,000 for each worker who wants to work in Malaysia.

Currently, around 3,00,000 Bangladeshi workers are employed in Malaysia.

The foreign affairs adviser said as the present caretaker government is now engaged in combating corruption, appropriate steps are being taken against unscrupulous manpower agencies who committed forgery and harassed workers while sending them abroad.

Iftekhar said the labour wings in Bangladesh missions abroad are being strengthened while consul generals or honorary consuls would be appointed wherever necessary to boost the export of the country's workforce.

He told newsmen that Bangladesh earns remittance of more than $ 5 billion annually from the expatriate workers.

Identifying three obstacles--lack of skilled manpower, inadequate coordination among government bodies and procedural problems--in sending manpower in abroad, the adviser said steps have been taken to provide necessary and timely training for the workers to meet the demands of foreign countries.

He said the government has also taken steps to make the BOESL more effective, so that the workforce could be sent with minimum cost and with government supervision.

"We are considering about signing short and long-term agreements with the countries, which are eager to employ workers free of cost," he said adding, "Diplomatic efforts have started to send workforce through BOESL under the 'G to G' system with several countries, including South Korea."

Asked about sending housemaids on jobs to foreign countries, Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Secretary Kamal Uddin Ahmed said there is a demand for housemaids from Bangladesh in Muslim countries. "We want to send housemaids but before taking the final decision, we are examining various aspects of the matter," he added.

About Bangladeshi travellers' requirement of visa from Hong Kong, who earlier enjoyed on-arrival visa, Acting Foreign Secretary Touhid Hossain said the Hong Kong authorities introduced the visa system not only for Bangladeshis but also for other neighbouring countries to stop the entry of dishonest people.

"However, we have taken up the matter and a delegation might be sent to Hong Kong for discussion and to ease the travelling-hassles of businessmen going to Hong Kong," he said.