The government on Wednesday approved a Tk 427-crore project to rehabilitate two lakh expatriates as some five lakh Bangladeshi workers returned home losing their overseas jobs amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved the big project at an Ecnec meeting held virtually with its Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. The PM joined the meeting from Ganobhaban, while others from the NEC conference room.
Each of two lakh returnees will get orientation, counseling and then Tk 13,500 as cash incentive alongside other employment-related supports under the project.
Along with this project, a total of 10 development projects involving the overall estimated cost of Tk 2,575.42 crore got approval at the meeting.
“Today, 10 projects placed by nine ministries were approved at the meeting. Seven of these projects are new while the remaining three are revised ones,” said Planning Minister MA Mannan while briefing reporters after the meeting.
Of the total estimated cost, Tk 2,150.42 crore will come from the national exchequer while the rest of Tk 425 crore as foreign loans from the World Bank, he said.
Mannan said the Prime Minister appreciated the supportive project for employment generation in the informal sector aiming to reintegrate the migrant workers who have returned.
Hasina said the expatriates who returned home contributed a lot to the country. “Now the country will have to provide support to them.”
Under the project, some 23,500 selected returnees who are skilled in different trades will also be given support to have certificates from the recognised organisations and manage jobs at home and abroad.
The other project operations include preparation of a database of the returnee workers, making the returnees connected with financial, technical and other relevant organisations and providing support to get loan and financial assistance, and engaging them in different productive activities and small business enterprises.
The Wage Earners’ Welfare Board under the Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry will execute the project by December 2023.
The project will be implemented in 32 districts of the country. The districts are Dhaka, Tangail, Kishoreganj, Narsingdi, Munshiganj, Faridpur, Gopalganj, Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Pabna, Bogura, Naogaon, Rajshahi, Sirajganj, Barishal, Patuakhali, Kushtia, Jashore, Khulna, Sylhet, Sunamganj, Brahmanbaria, Cumilla, Chandpur, Feni, Noakhali, Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar and Rangamati.
Of the project cost of Tk 427.30 crore, Tk 425 crore will come as loan from the World Bank, while the rest Tk 2.30 crore from the GoB fund.
