Govt to Launch ‘Probashi Card’ to Enhance Expatriate Welfare
Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury today announced a series of initiatives aimed at expanding overseas employment opportunities, protecting migrant workers, and enhancing expatriate welfare, including the introduction of a dedicated 'Probashi Card' from fiscal year 2026-27 (FY27). Placing the proposed national budget of around Taka 9.38 lakh crore for FY27 in the Jatiya Sangsad (JS), he said the government is giving special priority to overseas employment and the welfare of expatriate Bangladeshis. Paying tribute to Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman for initiating Bangladesh's first manpower export programme, Khosru said the government has undertaken various measures to diversify labour markets and increase overseas employment opportunities.
The finance minister said that the proposed 'Probashi Card' will digitally store workers' personal information, skills and employment details. The card will be linked to banking payment gateways to facilitate faster, safer and more efficient remittance transfers, he added. Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury mentioned that it will also provide access to expatriate welfare services, insurance coverage, banking facilities and emergency support. The government plans to expand overseas employment through easier access to migration loans, risk-free migration arrangements and improved governance in migration management, he continued.
To broaden labour market opportunities, the minister said, Bangladesh has already initiated efforts to sign bilateral agreements with Russia, Portugal, Romania, Brazil, Greece, Serbia and North Macedonia. Efforts are also underway to reopen labour markets in Malaysia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, he added. To improve the quality and credibility of Bangladeshi workers abroad, Khosru said, the government will introduce a Skill Verification Programme. Under the initiative, he said, workers' skills, experience and certifications will be verified through a Smart Skill Bank database, while internationally recognised digital certificates will be issued to qualified workers, enabling foreign employers to recruit skilled manpower directly.
The finance minister said from FY27 practical projects will be launched to strengthen technical and vocational training facilities. The government plans to engage 7,500 domestic trainers and 1,000 foreign expert trainers in polytechnic institutes, Technical Training Centres (TTCs) and Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB) institutions, he added. Another 1,000 language instructors and native speakers will be recruited to expand foreign language education, he said. He also announced plans to establish a Foreign Language e-Learning Centre and a Migration Market Research Institute under the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment.
To support Bangladeshi workers facing difficulties abroad, Khosru said, Bangladesh Support Centres will be established at embassies in major destination countries. He said that these centres will provide legal aid, rescue services, employment assistance and rehabilitation support for distressed migrant workers. The minister further said the government would simplify the repatriation process for the mortal remains of Bangladeshi workers who die abroad to ensure their dignified return home. Highlighting ongoing reforms, he noted that the migration process has already been fully digitised through the Overseas Employment Platform (OEP).
To strengthen skills development, the finance minister said, initiatives have been taken to enhance the capacity of the existing 110 TTCs across districts and upazilas and to build 50 new TTCs in additional upazilas. Under the project titled "Providing Driving Training for Employment at Home and Abroad (1st Revised)," the finance minister said, training is currently being provided to 102,400 people to create a pool of skilled drivers for employment opportunities in Europe, Japan and the Middle East. The minister also said that low-interest migration loans of up to Taka 10 lakh through Probashi Kallyan Bank would continue and the scope of the programme would be expanded further.
