Competition to Take Bribes Persists: Hasnat Abdullah
Member of Parliament Mr. Hasnat Abdullah of the National Citizen Party (NCP) has strongly criticized the persistence of widespread bribery under the current government, calling for an urgent overhaul of the country’s harassing registration system. In a post shared on his verified Facebook account on Thursday, September 17, the representative from the Cumilla-4 constituency expressed grave concern over the suspension of Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) card distribution. He highlighted that while standard clearance channels remain stalled, cards are allegedly being handed out through illicit back-channels in exchange for hefty bribes, turning migrant worker administration into a profit-driven enterprise.
Questioning the fundamental necessity of physical BMET cards, Mr. Abdullah urged the government to replace plastic cards with a database-driven registration system that links National Identity (NID) and passport records. He emphasized that an integrated digital database is vital for tracking migrant workers’ destinations and employers to ensure swift support during joblessness, severe illness, accidents, or deaths, as well as facilitating body repatriations, conflict evacuations, and embassy interventions in wage disputes. Questioning the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and BMET, he asked, ‘What gives the Expatriates’ Welfare Ministry and BMET the right to harass migrants under the guise of registration if they fail to deliver these services?’
To put an end to the continuous harassment faced by expatriates, Mr. Abdullah demanded that BMET transform from an authoritative gatekeeper into an efficient digital registrar. He outlined four core technical requirements for building an accurate database: direct server-to-server API verification of passport and NID details, automated skills and educational verification with education boards and Technical Training Centers (TTCs) without physical hard copies, direct online API verification of foreign visas and embassy endorsements, and real-time medical data verification with foreign embassy-approved clinics. Furthermore, he noted that the system must seamlessly incorporate insurance schemes, welfare facilities, and unemployment support mechanisms.
The lawmaker criticized both past and current political administrations for lacking technical vision or actively attempting to sustain corrupt syndicates, brokers, and bribery through outdated, hardcopy-based processes supported by flawed software. Mr. Abdullah pointed out that although BMET cards were originally intended to verify pre-departure training, authentic documentation, and valid employment visas, they have effectively rendered bribery mandatory. He argued that validating credentials online via API is technically simple, yet BMET’s failure to cross-check records against a real-time database allows forged documents to proliferate while legitimate workers endure airport harassment and systemic extortion by middlemen.
Drawing comparisons with regional neighbors, Mr. Abdullah urged Bangladesh to learn from foreign models like India and Nepal, which have drastically simplified migrant clearance processes. He cited India’s policy-driven eMigrate framework, where clearance is required only for holders of Emigration Check Required (ECR) passports lacking 10th-grade completion, as a model where secondary graduates are classified as ECNR, require no clearance, and others pay a nominal fee of 200 rupees for same-day online processing across 18 specific countries. He also cited Nepal’s 2015 ‘Free Visa, Free Ticket’ policy across seven major destination nations, which shifted recruitment costs to employers, thereby boosting the migrant workforce and diminishing broker dominance.
In conclusion, Mr. Abdullah asserted that Bangladesh’s current clearance framework lacks a credible verification foundation, reducing official approvals to mere rubber stamps. To resolve this without launching costly new initiatives, he proposed opening a dedicated expat support field within the immigration department’s existing Four-Track software to enable real-time API interoperability across visa-passport mapping, medical records, and TTC certifications. Pointing to World Bank and Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics data showing average migration costs exceeding BDT 4.17 lakh to BDT 5 lakh along major Gulf corridors, he urged the government to eliminate the harassing BMET card ordeal and protect Bangladeshi expatriates.
