Bangladesh has introduced the Overseas Employment Platform, a national digital gateway designed to strengthen safe migration and ensure fair recruitment for migrant workers, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment on Wednesday.
Developed by the ministry in partnership with the International Labour Organization and the Government of Switzerland, the integrated platform brings together all key actors in the migration cycle, said the press release. Aspirant migrants, recruitment agencies, the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training, Technical Training Centres, employers, immigration authorities and reintegration service providers will operate through a single digital system. The gateway aims to improve transparency, reduce dependency on middlemen and help lower the overall cost of migration for workers.
Adviser to the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Asif Nazrul attended the launch as the chief guest. He said the initiative marks an important step toward building a safe, efficient and transparent migration system that protects workers and improves service delivery.
Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam said transparent recruitment strengthens Bangladesh’s bilateral labour partnerships by improving confidence among destination countries. International Labour Organization Country Director Max Tunon said the platform operationalises fair-recruitment principles by centralising verified information and supporting better oversight of recruitment agencies.
Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh Deipak Elmar said the success of the platform will depend on active engagement by institutions, employers, recruitment agencies and migrant workers, noting that technology alone cannot transform migration governance.
Senior Secretary of the ministry Neyamat Ullah Bhuiyan, who chaired the event, said the launch is the beginning of a new phase in managing labour migration. He said the ministry will continue expanding platform features and strengthening coordination so workers can plan their journeys with greater dignity and security.
The ministry called for sustained collaboration among all stakeholders to unlock the full potential of the new platform in promoting safe, regular and fair migration from Bangladesh.
