Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies

Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies
Formation 1984, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Headquarters 130 New Eskaton Road, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Members
 1100+
Key people
 Mr. M. Shahjalal Mazumder, President
Website http://www.baira.org.bd/

Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies[1] (BAIRA) is an association of national level with its international reputation of co-operation and welfare of the migrant workforce as well as its approximately 700 member agencies in collaboration with and support from the Government of Bangladesh.

Manpower export from Bangladesh was pioneered in 1976. Since then, International Recruiting or Placement Agents under BAIRA have successfully recruited 5.5 million[2] (approximate, 2009) Bangladeshis for jobs abroad. This resulted in record highest remittance inflow and foreign exchange earned of US$ 10 billion[3] (net) for the fiscal year 2008-9, making BAIRA the leading contributor to Bangladesh's foreign exchange reserve.

History & Background

Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) is one of the largest trade bodies in Bangladesh affiliated with the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), the apex body on Trade & Industry, established in 1984 with a view to catering the needs of the licensed recruiting agencies who are engaging themselves in promoting manpower market abroad and deploy a good number of unemployed Bangladeshi manpower in various foreign countries after imparting necessary training.

Currently BAIRA has about 1100+ Government Approved Recruiting Agents as its memberk.

Major Countries accepting Manpower Export from Bangladesh

[4]

Availability of Manpower

Unemployed labor force of Bangladesh is estimated to be about 15 million. Beside a huge number of unskilled labor force, skilled, semi-skilled and professional manpower is also available for foreign employment. Some relevant data in this regard are given below:

- Technical Manpower
 - Medical Manpower
- Engineering Manpower
- Industrial Manpower
- Computer Personnel
- Power station, Petroleum and Fertilizer Manpower
- Road Transport Workers
- Financial Institutions, Insurance, Audit & Accounts Executives
- Port and Water Transport Workers
- Agricultural, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Livestock, Horticulture experts, Technical and Farmers
- School/College/University Teachers
- Administrative & Defense Personnel
- Hotel Management & Catering Staff
- Marine Crew
- Skilled HRM Expert Manpower
- Miscellaneous Manpower

These days, traditional unskilled manpower export is reducing and businesses are emphasizing more on creating skilled workers through privately owned technical training centers.

Aims & Objectives

[5]

  1. To promote and protect the rights and interests of the members of the association in particular and the trade, commerce and industries of Bangladesh in general;

      
  2. To promote, advise and assist in the business activities of the members of the association, to make all out efforts for providing Bangladeshis with job abroad;

      
  3. To co-ordinate the activities of the licensed recruiting agents approved by the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh for arranging employment's of Bangladesh abroad and to create unity amongst the licensed recruiting agents;

      
  4. To develop an understanding and awareness of Government notification, rules and regulations regarding the overseas employment of manpower amongst the member recruiting agents;

      
  5. To advise Government to amend, alter or modify orders in this regard from time to time keeping the interest of the country;

      
  6. To take all steps by lawful means that may be necessary for promoting, supporting or opposing legislation or any other action effecting the general interests of member recruiting agents;

      
  7. To establish close and intimate liaison with foreign missions in Bangladesh with a view to provide employment of Bangladeshi citizens in their respective countries;

      
  8. To keep in touch with Bangladesh Embassies or other reliable agencies for creating job opportunities for Bangladeshi citizens in different countries;

      
  9. To invite delegations from countries having potential for employment of skilled and unskilled Bangladeshi workers with a view to acquainting them with the vast hard working manpower available in Bangladesh, after getting prior permission form the Government;

      
 10. To assist Government and non-Government delegations coming to Bangladesh to select appropriate manpower by cultivating close liaison with them;

      
 11. To send delegation from the association abroad for creating proper awareness amongst the intending employers about skilled and unskilled workers of Bangladesh;

      
 12. To print brochures, booklets and leaflets of skilled workers of Bangladesh and circulate these abroad with the help of Government;

      
 13. To make efforts to ensure distribution of all privileges and facilities to all member recruiting agents fairly and equitably;

      
 14. To distribute all offers received by the association for employment in the private and the public sectors equitably amongst the member-recruiting agents;

      
 15. To create association's own Trade Institute in order to assist each and every member-recruiting agent appropriate and capable manpower;

      
 16. To establish association's own training center to assist and offer training to all candidates selected for employment abroad on manners, customs and foreign languages etc.;

      
 17. To assist all member-recruiting agents about rules, regulations, procedures, visa entry permits by procuring them from different countries and making them available to the members;

      
 18. To make all efforts and take all steps to remove difficulties and bottlenecks faced by the member-agents;

      
 19. To remove difficulties and inconveniences of the workers sent abroad by the member-recruiting agents ;

      
 20. To make efforts to remove complaints and misunderstanding amongst the foreign employers about manpower sent by member-recruiting agents;

      
 21. To maintain regular liaison by visits of responsible executives to overseas employers and their Bangladeshi employees;

      
 22. To organize welfare measures for the Bangladeshi workers abroad and their beneficiaries at home;

      
 23. To encourage the Bangladeshi workers working abroad for remit maximum of their foreign exchange earning to the country through regular official channels;

      
 24. To encourage and advise the Bangladeshi migrants abroad and their beneficiaries at home for investments of investments of their foreign exchanges in the productive pursuits in the country;

      
 25. To undertake initiatives for repatriation and payment of compensation to the persons wrongly selected and sent abroad;

      
 26. To provide assistance for bringing the dead body of Bangladesh workers to the country or for its proper disposal, as the case may be, in co-operation with foreign employers;

      
 27. To obtain labor laws of the labor importing countries and to disseminate the information of those laws among the Bangladeshi migrant workers;

      
 28. To fix annual target of business for each member agency and to help them to achieve the same;

      
 29. To monitor the monthly activities for the member agencies to the Ministry of Labor and Manpower, Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training and Bangladesh Manpower Planning Center through a proforma to be prepared by Bangladesh Manpower Planning Center;

      
 30. To submit annual report to the Ministry of Labor and Employment by each member agency dealing with their total activities during every calendar year.

      
 31. To report to Ministry, Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training and Bangladesh Manpower Planning Center the amount of fees actually charged from job seekers of various categories;

      
 32. To explore job market in different parts of the world in addition to the countries in the Middle East;

      
 33. To explore job opportunities for skilled and professional personnel as well;

      
 34. To set up branch offices as and when required in different parts of the country & the globe with a view to fulfilling the aims and objects of the association;

      
 35. To do all such other things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above objects.

Allegations, Controversies & Critisim

Ever since Manpower Export commenced in Bangladesh, complaints and allegations regarding Recruiting Agencies for swindling, cheating[6] and lack of business ethics, have caught the attention from the Government to bring in regulations and Human Rights Organizations along with the state operated BMET (Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training) promoting transparency, know-hows of recruitment process, awareness and general knowledge on cultural diversity & work environment abroad.

Competition between middlemen from the overseas employing countries, aggressive marketing by Recruiting Agents and immense interest & demand from Bangladeshi workers have inflated the migration cost[7] greatly. This has been widely criticized by and brought deep concerns to many Developed Countries and Human Rights Organizations, which led the current EC to take measurements through round table discussions leading to ongoing efforts for an affordable, reasonable yet competitive migration cost.

March 13, 2007, saw BAIRA's elected Executive Committee to be dissolved and its President MAH Salim (MP) of Silver Line Associates, arrested[8] by the Joint Forces. Accusations of malpractices, monopolization of manpower export by few and the illegal opening, operating and owning of a branch, 'BAIRA KL SDN BHD' in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Change & Reformation

BAIRA without any proactive leaders was stagnant in terms of progress, during a span of 1 year 2 months it was lead and looked after by an Add. Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka and followed by 2 Deputy Secretary's from Ministry of Commerce.

May 14, 2008, the BAIRA election took place between, previously elected 3 times as BAIRA President Md. Mosharraf Hossain (MP) of BayEastern Ltd. leading 'The Sammilito Shamannaya Front' and Ghulam Mustafa of Prantik Travels & Tourism Ltd. leading 'Sammilita Ganatantrik Front', each front contesting with 27 candidates.

Promises for change, bringing an end to the concept of one person contesting for many terms and another 27 point election manifesto[9] was pledged by Mustafa to make BAIRA dynamic and vibrant as it should have been. While the opposition promised BAIRA Airlines serving international flights for in and outbound workers. The election recorded highest number of member attendance and votes cast. Result of the election left all stunned; as it was the biggest landslide victory in Bangladesh compared to any other trade body election held, as 'Sammilita Ganatantrik Front'[10] received the majority 70.33%(approx.) of votes. Ghulam Mustafa and his 'Sammilita Ganatantrik Front' won 26 seats, left only Md. Mosharraf Hossain (MP) to come through as #25 from his entire Front.

Future

Bangladesh holds a key to its development and a future to be one of the powerhouses of South Asia, i.e. primarily supporting manpower export sector, and requiring the Bangladesh Governments role playing for expansion and creation of new untapped markets. Past archives that Bangladesh was always running short of forex reserve. July's 1st week report that forex reserve has exceeded US$ 7 billion, thus acting as helping hand at grave times of natural disasters like Sidr in 2007. Eventually it brought value addition to the workforce even. Returnee workers from Singapore Shipyards have been recruited by Bangladeshi local Ship Building Companies,[11] a sector which is still young yet showing rapid progress to eventually contribute to the much need forex.

List of BAIRA Members

  1. M/s.Afia overseas RL No-1010,Ph-+8801731587386'+8801911448086.

References

  1. ↑ "Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies". hrexport-baira.org. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
  2. ↑ "Figure of Bangladeshis working overseas". thedailystar.net. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
  3. ↑ "Remittance from Manpower sector in fiscal year 2008-9". thedailystar.net. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
  4. ↑ "Major Countries recruiting workers from Bangladesh". hrexport-baira.org. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
  5. ↑ "BAIRA's Aim and Objectives". hrexport-baira.org. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
  6. ↑ "Workers Cheated abroad - Detained & Stranded". thedailystar.net. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
  7. ↑ "High migration cost". thedailystar.net.
  8. ↑ "Dissolve of EC and arrest of BAIRA President, MAH Salim". thedailystar.net. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
  9. ↑ "Election Manifesto pledged by Shammilita Ganatantrik Front". thefinancialexpress-bd.com. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
  10. ↑ "Reformation of BAIRA EC through election". thefinancialexpress-bd.com. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
  11. ↑ "Value addition to local shipbuilding industry by Returnees from Overseas". thedailystar.net. Retrieved 2009-09-22.