To streamline safe migration and promote fair recruitment practices, the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment (MoEWOE) on Wednesday launched the Overseas Employment Platform (OEP), a national digital gateway.
The OEP brings together all key actors in the labour migration cycle — aspiring migrant workers, licensed recruitment agencies, the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), Technical Training Centres, employers, immigration authorities, and reintegration service providers.
It was developed by the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment (MoEWOE) in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Government of Switzerland.
Officials said the integrated platform is designed to enhance transparency and accountability, reduce dependence on informal middlemen, improve service delivery and ultimately help bring down migration costs for workers.
The launch ceremony was attended by Adviser to MoEWOE Dr Asif Nazrul as chief guest. Also present were Asad Alam Siam, foreign secretary; Deipak Elmar, deputy head of mission at the Embassy of Switzerland; and Max Tunon, country director of ILO Bangladesh, along with representatives from embassies, development partners, UN agencies, recruitment agencies, employers’ associations and civil society.
Dr Asif Nazrul described the platform as “an important milestone for safe, transparent and efficient labour migration,” noting the significant contribution of Bangladeshi migrant workers to the national economy.
“It is our responsibility to ensure their migration journey is safe, protected and dignified,” he said, adding that additional features would be introduced over time to expand the platform’s usefulness for workers, employers and government agencies.
Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam emphasized the foreign-policy benefits of the initiative, saying that improved transparency in recruitment processes strengthens bilateral labour agreements and builds confidence between Bangladesh and destination countries.
ILO’s Max Tunon said the OEP represented “a concrete step toward operationalizing fair recruitment principles,” adding that by centralizing information and procedures, the platform will support stronger regulation of recruitment agencies and improve workers’ access to verified information.
Representing development partners, Switzerland’s Deputy Head of Mission Deipak Elmar noted that technology alone cannot solve migration-governance challenges.
“The true success of this platform will come from how institutions, recruiting agencies, employers and migrants themselves engage with it,” he said.
“Its effectiveness will depend on the commitment and responsibility of all stakeholders.”
Dr Neyamat Ullah Bhuiyan said the launch of the OEP marked “the beginning of a new phase in managing labour migration,” promising continued upgrades, better institutional coordination and sustained collaboration with partners.
“Our aim is for migrant workers to plan their journeys with dignity, safety and confidence,” he said.
