Govt Sets New Conditions for Sending Workers to 12 Countries
The government has imposed new restrictions on sending Bangladeshi workers to 12 countries to mitigate the risks of fraud, exploitation, and human trafficking under the guise of overseas employment. Moving forward, taking up employment in these countries will require prior recruitment approval from the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment. Without this approval, no clearance permit will be issued. The 12 designated countries are Serbia, Moldova, Belarus, Kosovo, Bosnia, Japan, Iraq, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Ukraine, and Libya. The directive was issued in an official letter by the ministry on Wednesday. On the same day, the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) informed its member agencies of the decision via a notice.
According to the guidelines, the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) cannot grant emigration clearance for workers heading to these countries without ministry authorization. Consequently, holding a job offer or a valid visa alone will no longer guarantee clearance; the entire recruitment process must undergo formal government vetting. The decision comes amid growing concerns over cyber scam compounds in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, where Bangladeshis have reportedly been trapped and forced into fraudulent online operations. Lured by promises of high salaries, many victims were subjected to hostage situations, abuse, and labor exploitation.
An investigative report by The Business Standard published on July 11 revealed that 15,921 Bangladeshis received BMET clearance to travel to Cambodia over 18 months. Data from the BRAC Migration Program indicates that more than 1,000 of them ended up detained in cybercrime hubs and forced into online fraud operations. Commenting on the developments, Al Amin Nayan, President of the migration rights organization Anirban Survivor Foundation, advised prospective migrants to refrain from financial transactions or final commitments until the recruitment process, ministry approval, and emigration clearance are fully verified.
He noted that securing a visa or receiving a job offer through a recruiting agency does not automatically guarantee safe migration. Verification of the employer’s identity, employment contract, salary structure, visa category, and government approval remains essential. Nayan further emphasized that Bangladeshis have suffered fraud, exploitation, illegal confinement, and trafficking after accepting employment lures in countries like Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, underscoring the need for heightened vigilance when evaluating job offers from these destinations.
