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Govt approval required for sending workers to 12 countries
Daily Sun Report, Dhaka
Published: 05 Nov 2026, 01:33 AM
Govt approval required for sending workers to 12 countries. Photo: Collected
The government has made prior approval from the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment mandatory for sending Bangladeshi workers to 12 countries, directing recruiting agencies not to issue emigration clearance without the ministry's permission.
The countries are Serbia, Moldova, Belarus, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Japan, Iraq, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Ukraine and Libya.
The Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) informed its member agencies of the decision in a letter issued on Wednesday, following instructions from the ministry.
Under the directive, recruiting agencies must secure the ministry's approval before issuing emigration clearance to workers heading for any of the 12 destinations.
The move comes amid growing concerns over fraud, exploitation and human trafficking involving people seeking overseas employment, particularly those attracted by lucrative job offers in certain countries.
Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam have come under particular scrutiny following reports of Bangladeshis being lured abroad with fake job offers, confined in scam compounds and forced to engage in online fraud.
Many victims have reportedly been deceived, exploited and deprived of their freedom after travelling abroad in search of work.
Officials and recruiting agencies have been urged to ensure that all recruitment arrangements comply with government requirements before facilitating overseas employment.
Jobseekers have also been advised against making payments or finalising overseas employment arrangements without first verifying the ministry's approval and securing confirmation of the required emigration clearance.
The advisory cautioned that having a visa or receiving a job offer through a recruiting agency does not, by itself, guarantee safe or legal migration.
Prospective migrant workers have been advised to verify the authenticity of job offers, employers' identities, employment contracts, salaries and benefits, visa categories and relevant government approvals before making travel arrangements.
They have also been urged to avoid brokers and intermediaries and remain cautious about offers promising unusually high salaries or easy access to overseas jobs.