The Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment (MoEWOE) of Bangladesh plays an important role in managing labour migration and supporting migrant workers. However, institutional inefficiencies, budgetary constraints, and outdated operational practices significantly challenge its effectiveness. Despite an increase in the national budget allocation to the MoEWOE for FY2025, its share remains a mere 0.15 per cent of the total budget, which severely limits its capacity to address critical issues. Development budgets are often underutilised due to weak institutional capacity, with only two-thirds of the FY2024 budget being spent. This shortfall in resources has resulted in outdated training equipment, staff shortages, and suboptimal service delivery across affiliated institutions, such as Technical Training Centres (TTCs) and District Employment and Manpower Offices (DEMOs).
Authors: Khondaker Golam Moazzem, ASM Shamim Alam Shibly and Sadab Rahman Chowdhury
Publication Period: November 2024