The government has announced a “Probashi Card” for expatriate Bangladeshis, through which they will be able to easily access expatriate welfare services, insurance benefits, banking services and emergency assistance. It also said the existing 2.5 percent cash incentive will be retained to encourage sending money home through legal channels. Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury made the announcements in his 2026-27 budget speech in parliament on Thursday (11 June).
Highlighting the priority given to expatriates, the finance minister said: “Our government is giving special priority to expanding overseas employment and to the protection and welfare of expatriate Bangladeshi manpower. To ensure the overall welfare of expatriate workers, the government is introducing a special ‘Probashi Card.’ The card will be linked to expatriate welfare services, insurance, banking facilities and emergency assistance.” He said: “As alternative labour markets, we have already taken initiatives to sign bilateral agreements with countries such as Russia, Portugal, Romania, Brazil, Greece, Serbia and North Macedonia. We have also begun the process of reopening the labour markets of Malaysia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait after a long closure.”
Amir Khasru said: “The month after our government took office, monthly remittance sent by expatriates reached 3.75 billion dollars — the highest in a single month in the country’s history. This flow of remittance reflects expatriate Bangladeshis’ confidence and trust in our democratic government, and we hope this trend will continue.” He added that the government is keeping the 2.5 percent cash incentive on remittances sent through legal channels to sustain the rise in expatriate income, and is implementing a comprehensive plan to raise occupation-based skills according to domestic and foreign labour-market demand. According to the finance minister, the government has begun introducing sector-based courses and curricula for fields in high demand abroad, and has strengthened market-based training, curriculum development, certification, accreditation and quality control.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report