The number of foreign employees in Bangladesh is on the rise. This is particularly true in the garment sector. This has come to the fore through information provided by various agencies involved in issuance and renewal of work permits for foreigners.
Despite the overall economic growth and development, the dearth of technically sound manpower is said to be the primary reason behind increased number of expatriates coming to Bangladesh to aid the expansion of the country in various sectors, prominent among which is the garment sector of Bangladesh, employing over 4.2 million people, besides contributing significantly to the country’s GDP.
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According to data provided by the Board of Investment-BOI (involved in issuance of work permits to foreign nationals), 7,030 new work permits have been issued by the agency from 2007 till 2015. The BOI data further added that of all the new work permits issued by it in last seven years, 1,574 were issued in the first nine months of 2015 alone. Besides, the agency has also renewed 2,167 work permits of foreign national employed in the country, in the same period.
The number is increasing everyday as many foreigners are coming here for different job purposes, underlined a Director of the BOI, Sabina Yeasmin.
Most of the expatriates employed in the thriving apparel sector of Bangladesh are from India and Sri Lanka, followed by Pakistan, China, South Korea, Taiwan and Philippines, who hold higher ranks like production managers, washing experts, merchandisers, cutting masters and designers in the garment industry.
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Other government agencies authorised to issue work permits in the country are Department of Passport and Immigration and the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority.
Bharat Tex Special Report 2026 
