SANGSAD BHABAN, Sept 14, 2023 (BSS)-Overseas Employment and Migrants (amendment) Bill-2023 has passed in the Jatiya Sangsad today with a view to bringing middlemen of international migrations accountable.

 
Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmad moved the bill which was unanimously passed by voice votes with Deputy Speaker Advocate Shamsul Huq Tuku in the chair.

Piloting the bill, the minister said middlemen are found to be violating rights in most cases of international migration. "This is why we are including them in the legal framework.

 We are amending the law and including them as sub-agents."

The middlemen will face legal action if they become involved in illegal activities when the law comes into force, he said.

Ahmad said the new act will be enacted by amending 'Overseas Employment and Migration Act 2013' aiming to reduce the oppression and tyranny of middlemen or brokers in workforce export.

Over 10 million migrant workers sent record amount of $22.07 billion remittance in 2021 despite the Covid-19 pandemic.

Female overseas employment has increased in recent years after the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia allowed women to migrate at free of cost under a 2015 deal.

Sharply criticizing the budgetary allocation of the concerned Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry, opposition lawmaker Barrister Shamim Haider Patwary said the government should to enhance the budget of the ministry as the budget outlay of the ministry is less than one percent and how expatriates welfare would be ensured with this lower amount of budget.