Foreigners are getting preference in employment in some sectors even unlawfully, despite the availability of efficient and skilled manpower in the country. Some 16,500 foreigners are registered with Investment Board, BEPZA and NGO Bureau, but according to CPD about 5 lakh Indians are working in the country while the labour leaders put the number of foreigners employed in the RMG sector at 10 lakh. According to sources, appointments of employees by different organisations are going on in violation of the rules of the authorities concerned. This trend prevails not only in the foreign companies and organisations, but keeping foreign workers has become a fashion with the local establishments also. As if the prestige of an enterprise increases if it maintains foreign employees. While the local educated and efficient people fail to get jobs despite frantic efforts, the citizens of different countries are working in different organisations in the country legally and illegally. They are earning lakhs of taka and sending lion’s share of that to home. Moreover, some local citizens are working in those organisations under the foreign bosses at lower salaries than their foreign colleagues. It amounts to remaining a stranger at home. It is learnt that the Indians are dominating most in different kinds of jobs. Earlier, the Indians were in possession of various mid level jobs in the Middle Eastern countries. To end this situation, many countries of the Middle East have stopped recruitment of workers from India but the influence of the Indians is increasing in various sectors of Bangladesh. They are followed by the citizens from 55 countries, including Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Thailand, the Philippines, Africa, Europe and America. About 3,000 foreigners are now working legally with permission in eight export processing zones or EPZs.Some 13,000 foreigners are working in the country with permission from the Investment Board, while the number of foreign people working with permission from the NGO Bureau stands at 500. Taken these together, 16,500 foreigners are working legally in Bangladesh with permission from the government authorities concerned, but in reality this number is much higher. There is no correct information with any division of the government as to how many foreigners really work in Bangladesh. A study conducted by CPD in 2015 revealed that about 5 lakh Indians work in Bangladesh and they send home $ 3.76 billion equivalent to Bangladeshi Taka 30,000 crore annually. Bangladesh is considered by India as the 5th highest source of remittances. It is presumed that much more Indians are staying in Bangladesh illegally than those Indian workers who obtained work permit from the Investment Board. The money earned by illegal workers is siphoned to India illegally through hundi. An Indian named Dr Shivaji works at a big enterprise which produces broiler chicken, chicks and fodder at a monthly salary of more than Tk 2.5 lakh. At least 6,000 Bangladeshi manpower with equivalent qualifications in veterinary medicines are coming out every year. But most of them do not get any job while some of them are employed at a lower salary. An Indian consultant named Dr Joarder comes to Bangladesh every month. He works at enterprises like Kazi Farms, Paragon Poultry Farm, Nourish and CP. He draws Tk 3 to 6 lakh from each farm per month. Many foreigners like Dr Shivaji and Dr Joarder take away huge money from Bangladesh changing those into dollars. The foreigners are not only creating employment crisis for the citizens of the country but at the same time they are also evading taxes.
