<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>A total of 10.74 lakh workers went abroad for employment till June of the current fiscal (2022-23), which is 15.59 percent more than the same period of the previous fiscal year.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Expatriates’ Welfare Minister Imran Ahmad told this in parliament replying to a tabled question from ruling Awami League MP elected from Bhola Ali Azam.</div><div><br></div><div>The minister said that during the same period of last fiscal year (2021-22), a total of 9.7 lakh workers went abroad.</div><div><br></div><div>In response to a query of AL MP Habibar Rahman from Bogura, the Expatriates’ Welfare Minister said that there is a plan to sign agreements with new countries for manpower export.</div><div><br></div><div>He also said that process is underway to sign agreements with Libya, Malta, Albania, Romania and Serbia in this regard.</div><div><br></div><div>In response to the question of another AL MP Nurannabi Chowdhury from Bhola-4, the Minister said that since the establishment of Expatriate Welfare Bank, Tk 2081 crore have been distributed among around 1.14 lakh expatriate workers as loan for migration purposes.</div><div><br></div><div>Responding to a query from AL MP AKM Rahmatullah from Dhaka, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said earlier the domestic demand of tea in the country was less than the production and that’s why more tea was exported.</div><div><br></div><div>At present the demand of tea in the country is about 100 million kg, he said adding that as people's purchasing power increases, all the tea produced in the country is used to meet domestic demand, leaving little surplus for export.</div><div><br></div><div>In order to increase the export of tea, the government as well as the tea board has taken various steps to increase the production of quality tea.</div><div><br></div><div>In reply to a query from AL MP Nizam Uddin Hazari of Feni, the commerce minister said that there are trade missions of Bangladesh in 23 cities of 21 countries of the world.</div><div><br></div><div>They are: Canberra, Brussels, Beijing, Kunming, Paris, Berlin, New Delhi, Kolkata, Tehran, Tokyo, Yangon, Kuala Lumpur, Moscow, Seoul, Singapore, Madrid, Geneva, Dubai, London, Washington DC and Los Angeles, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>He added that in the near future, there are plans to set up commercial wing in Brasilia, Turkey, Ankara, Mexico, Mexico City and Africa. Besides, there are plans to set up missions in Indonesia and Thailand.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>