The Ministry of Expatriates` Welfare and Overseas Employment has taken a series of major decisions to expand manpower export to Japan, a market seen as one of the most promising for Bangladeshi workers in the coming years.

The decisions were taken at the third meeting of the ministry`s `Japan Cell` on September 3 with Chief Adviser`s Special Envoy on International Affairs Lutfey Siddiqi in the chair, said a press release issued by the Chief Adviser`s Press Wing on Tuesday, September 16.

The ministry today informed the Chief Adviser`s Office (CAO) in details about the decisions through an official letter, the release said.

According to the letter, initiatives should be taken to make Facebook posts, including quotations from the Expatriates` Welfare and Overseas Employment Adviser Professor Dr Asif Nazrul and the Ambassador to Japan, about the activities of the `Japan Cell` through the Chief Adviser`s Press Secretary, which will be promoted through the Chief Adviser`s official Facebook page.

Regarding the activities of the `Japan Desk` related to the Japanese labor market, the letter said Japan is a potential labor market for Bangladesh.

It is estimated that the working population deficit in Japan could reach 11 million by 2040, as mentioned in the Japan Times report dated March 30, 2024. Japan has the possibility of hiring foreign workers under various visa categories.

At the directive of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, the release said, a comprehensive action plan has been taken to provide training and ensure employment through agreements between the National Business Support Cooperative Federation (NBCC), Japan Bangla Bridge Recruiting Agency Ltd (JBBRA), and Kaicom Dream Street BD Co Ltd (KDS) to expand employment opportunities for Bangladeshi workers in Japan.

It said that workers will be sent to Japan in the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) category under the National Business Support Cooperative Federation (NBCC).

In this case, target-based workers have been identified and other organizations can also plan to recruit workers so that the export of skilled workers from Bangladesh can be increased and various major initiatives for the country`s labor market can be implemented in the future, the release added.

For this purpose, it said, the `Japan Desk` has been launched with the support of various offices, including the Ministry of Expatriates` Welfare and Overseas Employment, the Embassies of Bangladesh and Japan, and Business World.

The activities of the `Japan Desk` include assessing demand in the existing labour market in Japan, identifying and promoting employment opportunities, providing language training to employees, digital testing, and data collection, ensuring communication and coordination with different agencies in Japan and other foreign offices and the activities of the ministry`s QCS-17 Centre.

About the activities of the `Japan Desk`, Expatriates` Welfare and Overseas Employment Adviser Professor Dr Asif Nazrul said, "Our manpower export goal is to create new employment opportunities and reduce poverty. Through the `Japan Desk`, we believe we can achieve this target. Having Japanese officials directly involved in the `Japan Desk` will further boost employment opportunities."

Bangladesh`s Ambassador to Japan noted that Japanese authorities are now focusing more on ensuring quality rather than quantity by monitoring the completion of all stages of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT).

For this, mechanical Japanese language training for trainees of the Technical Training Center (TTC) by Japanese language trainers and teachers for local technical trainers should also be arranged, the ambassador said.

Besides, the release said, there are plans to provide skilled nursing services through Kaicom Dream Street BD Co. Ltd (KDS). In collaboration with KDS, CTG will be developed as a model campus under the KDS Group through training and Japanese language and skill acquisition programmes, where the number of Bangladeshi workers will increase significantly, it added.

National Business Support Cooperative Federation (NBCC) and Japan Bangla Bridge Recruiting Agency Ltd (JBBRA) will jointly recruit workers in the SSW category through an expansion agreement, the release said.

According to the release, after the launch of the `Japan Desk`, the following activities have been undertaken:

a) The Japan Cell`s own website ([email protected]) and Facebook page (Japan cell, Ministry of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment) have been launched. Employment-related information and information about language skills, visas, jobs, salaries and other benefits are being shared through the website and Facebook.

b) A special e-mail ([email protected]) has been launched for communication.

c) Japanese Organization for Technical Intern Training (OTIT) and two Japanese language learning apps of Japan Foundation have been uploaded on the `Japan Cell`s Facebook page.

d) The ministry has taken the initiative to arrange Japanese loans for Japanese language students seeking employment in Japan from Bangladesh.

e) Additional exam centers have been set up in view of the increase in the number of participants in the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) exam.

The test centers are: Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), North South University (NSU), Independent University Bangladesh (IUB), Bangladesh-Korea Technical Training Center (BKTTC), Bangladesh-German Technical Training Center (BGTTC) and Asia Pacific University (APU).

f) Online Japanese language training pilot programme has been launched from August 14 this year. All candidates are being given the opportunity to learn Japanese language.

g) Approval has been given to the National Skill Development Authority (NSDA) to limit the activities according to Japanese standards for Japanese language and skill training.

h) A university has been given the task of creating a database to store the information of participants and students of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) and Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese (JFT) exam. As a result, complete information of future employers will be easily available and the recruitment process will be easier.

i) A committee has been formed under Dhaka University to resolve the Japanese language education programme by the school coordinator and to make the activities more standardized.

The committee comprised the following institutions- Japanese Universities Alumni Association in Bangladesh (JUAAB), Association of Japanese Language Institution, Bangladesh Association of Japanese Language Teachers Association (JALTAB) and Bangladesh Students` Support Association in Japan (BSSA).

Source: BSS