Bangladesh's Board of Investment (BOI) has decided to ban unskilled foreign workers, to create more opportunities for locals, BOI officials said on Sunday. "From now on, no unskilled foreign national whose monthly earnings are less than $500 will be allowed to work in industrial firms with complete foreign ownership or set up under joint venture," a director of the BOI sadi.
The BOI is also strictly monitoring foreigners working in the country, many of who have overstayed their five-year work permits or may try to do so, BOI officials said.
Bangladesh already had a five-year cap on foreign workers in commercial and industrial sectors, but it has often been flouted or ignored. "Generally they (foreign workers) are expected to stay here for five years and in the meantime they are supposed to transfer technology to the local workers," said Mohammad Mohsin, executive chairman of the state-run BOI.
He said that he asked the concerned officials to remain vigilant so that no one can violate the related laws. "We may relax the laws only for those sectors which may require more time, but in that case we will also be careful," he said. Other BOI officials said about 30 work permits were cancelled recently.