The government will introduce a dedicated ‘Probashi Card’ from the 2026–27 fiscal year as part of a series of initiatives aimed at expanding overseas employment opportunities, protecting migrant workers and strengthening expatriate welfare.
Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury announced the initiative today while placing the proposed national budget of around Tk9.38 lakh crore for FY27 in the Jatiya Sangsad (JS). He said the government has given special priority to overseas employment and the welfare of expatriate Bangladeshis.
Paying tribute to Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman for initiating Bangladesh’s first manpower export programme, Khosru said the government has taken steps to diversify labour markets and increase overseas job opportunities.
He said the proposed ‘Probashi Card’ will digitally store workers’ personal details, skills and employment records. The card will be linked to banking payment gateways to ensure faster, safer and more efficient remittance transfers.
He added that the card will also provide access to expatriate welfare services, insurance coverage, banking facilities and emergency support.
The government plans to expand overseas employment through easier access to migration loans, risk-free migration systems and improved governance in migration management.
To expand labour markets, Bangladesh has already begun efforts to sign bilateral agreements with Russia, Portugal, Romania, Brazil, Greece, Serbia and North Macedonia.
Efforts are also underway to reopen labour markets in Malaysia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.
To improve the quality and credibility of Bangladeshi workers abroad, the government will introduce a Skill Verification Programme. Under this system, workers’ skills, experience and certifications will be verified through a Smart Skill Bank database. Internationally recognised digital certificates will also be issued to qualified workers, allowing foreign employers to recruit skilled manpower directly.
The finance minister said practical projects will begin from FY27 to strengthen technical and vocational training facilities. The government plans to engage 7,500 domestic trainers and 1,000 foreign expert trainers in polytechnic institutes, Technical Training Centres (TTCs) and Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB) institutions.
An additional 1,000 language instructors and native speakers will also be recruited to expand foreign language training.
He also announced plans to establish a Foreign Language e-Learning Centre and a Migration Market Research Institute under the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.
To support distressed workers abroad, Bangladesh Support Centres will be set up at embassies in major destination countries. These centres will provide legal aid, rescue support, job assistance and rehabilitation services.
The minister further said the government will simplify the repatriation process for the bodies of Bangladeshi workers who die abroad, ensuring dignified return.
He noted that the migration system has already been fully digitised through the Overseas Employment Platform (OEP).
To strengthen skills development, steps have been taken to upgrade 110 existing TTCs across districts and upazilas and build 50 new TTCs in additional upazilas.
Under the “Providing Driving Training for Employment at Home and Abroad (1st Revised)” project, training is being provided to 102,400 people to build a skilled driver workforce for Europe, Japan and the Middle East.
He also said low-interest migration loans of up to Tk 10 lakh through Probashi Kallyan Bank will continue, with the programme set to be expanded further.
