BANGLADESH Investment Development Authority (BIDA) has reportedly asked registered industrial units to refrain from hiring semi-skilled foreign technicians and workers against the posts, which could be easily filled up by competent local people. We must say it is a good move in one hand for creating job opportunities for skilled or semi-skilled local workforce, while on the other – the decision is likely to hamper both growth and development of our private sector when we have to yet enough supply of skilled and semi-skilled workforce from local sources to meet the demand of local industries.
We must say BIDA move has charted out the right path but it needs adjustment keeping eyes on local demand and supply situation. We are already aware of the fact that local workforce is being discriminated in recruitment by local industrial houses and there is no doubt the move will bring relief to local workforce.
BIDA data shows, on an average 12,000 foreigners receive work permit from it in a year. This in addition to several thousand foreigners who manage to work in Export Processing Zones with permission from the Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA) and some other regulatory bodies. However, as per estimate of different government agencies including Special Branch of Bangladesh Police several lakh foreigners are now working in the country illegally – namely in the apparel and ICT sectors besides buying houses and big manufacturing units without valid work permits. In our view it should be verified and the loopholes need to be plugged. This situation calls for a countrywide investigation for identifying undocumented foreign employees to check their status.
That said, foreign skilled workforce is undoubtedly contributing to the growth of our manufacturing sector but this is time the employers should make the best use of them by training and imparting skills to local employees in their factories.
It is no secret that foreign workers are repatriating several billion dollars every year to their home country while our younger people as they are not enough educated and unskilled are going abroad on work permit to earn their livelihood in hostile environment. We must have a far-reaching plan to reverse the course by accommodating greater number of local workers to local factories by way of replacing foreigners at their place. We must say BIDA must create a mechanism involving the government, the industry owners and local manpower training establishments to phase out such replenishing programme through intensive treaining of local workers so that our growing dependence on foreign skilled workers steadily fall on short and medium term basis.
We know the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has taken various initiatives to deter illegal employment of foreign nationals, but we are not sure of tangible results. The former Board of Investment (BOI) had imposed a five-year limit on foreigners working in 2007 for employment in commercial firms and industries. We suggest that BIDA may rethink the entire issue and take up measures on selective basis in our national interest.
We must say BIDA move has charted out the right path but it needs adjustment keeping eyes on local demand and supply situation. We are already aware of the fact that local workforce is being discriminated in recruitment by local industrial houses and there is no doubt the move will bring relief to local workforce.
BIDA data shows, on an average 12,000 foreigners receive work permit from it in a year. This in addition to several thousand foreigners who manage to work in Export Processing Zones with permission from the Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA) and some other regulatory bodies. However, as per estimate of different government agencies including Special Branch of Bangladesh Police several lakh foreigners are now working in the country illegally – namely in the apparel and ICT sectors besides buying houses and big manufacturing units without valid work permits. In our view it should be verified and the loopholes need to be plugged. This situation calls for a countrywide investigation for identifying undocumented foreign employees to check their status.
That said, foreign skilled workforce is undoubtedly contributing to the growth of our manufacturing sector but this is time the employers should make the best use of them by training and imparting skills to local employees in their factories.
It is no secret that foreign workers are repatriating several billion dollars every year to their home country while our younger people as they are not enough educated and unskilled are going abroad on work permit to earn their livelihood in hostile environment. We must have a far-reaching plan to reverse the course by accommodating greater number of local workers to local factories by way of replacing foreigners at their place. We must say BIDA must create a mechanism involving the government, the industry owners and local manpower training establishments to phase out such replenishing programme through intensive treaining of local workers so that our growing dependence on foreign skilled workers steadily fall on short and medium term basis.
We know the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has taken various initiatives to deter illegal employment of foreign nationals, but we are not sure of tangible results. The former Board of Investment (BOI) had imposed a five-year limit on foreigners working in 2007 for employment in commercial firms and industries. We suggest that BIDA may rethink the entire issue and take up measures on selective basis in our national interest.
