Bangladesh is set to send its first batch of workers to Mongolia on November 1, as the government seeks to explore new overseas employment destinations beyond traditional labour markets.Bangladesh Economic Report

The workers will be sent through Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL), a state-owned entity under the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment.

"Initially, we are going to send a total of 12 male workers to Mongolia on November 1 to work in different sectors. They will go to Mongolia at zero migration cost," Managing Director (MD) of BOESL Mohammad Rashedul Haque told the FE at his office on Sunday.

The workers will be employed in warehouses and as support staff at markets and shopping malls, he said.

"Each worker will receive a monthly salary of US $400, along with $4 a day for meals. The Mongolian company will provide accommodation for Bangladeshi workers free of cost," he said.

Mr Haque said initially the workers will serve a three-month probationary period, during which they would receive their monthly salaries and other benefits.

Their employment contracts will be for two years, with the possibility of renewal. The contracts may be extended if the workers demonstrate satisfactory performance, he said.

He added that another 18 workers were preparing to travel to Mongolia for employment soon. A private organisation in Mongolia is recruiting Bangladeshi manpower.

The BOESL MD said the Bangladesh embassy in Beijing played a key role in facilitating the recruitment of Bangladeshi workers.

Explaining the selection process, he said BOESL had published an advertisement in response to a manpower demand from the Mongolian company, attracting several hundred applicants from across Bangladesh.

"They were interviewed online by the Mongolian company officials in the presence of BOESL officials. After 12 persons were selected, the BOESL provided them with training," he maintained.

The workers are aged between 20 and 30, with educational qualifications ranging from the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) to a master's degree, Mr Haque said, adding that they are capable of speaking communicative English.

He said the recruiting company will bear the expenses of medical treatment of the Bangladeshi workers if any of them falls sick.

The   economy of Mongolia has historically been based on herding and agriculture, but mining has become the dominant sector of the economy.Economic Forecast Report

The country's (Mongolia) economy is expanding in different sectors, testifying the need to import overseas manpower (skilled and unskilled) for fulfilling the requirement of workforce in different sectors of the country.

Mongolia possesses major deposits of copper, coal, gold, molybdenum and other minerals, which account for much of the country's industrial output and exports.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990-91 and the end of Soviet aid, Mongolia entered a severe recession during its transition from a planned economy to market economy.

Mongolia joined the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 1997.

From the 2000s onward, rapid expansion of the mining sector drove strong   economic growth.

Bangladesh and Mongolia have expanded bilateral cooperation to facilitate the export of skilled and semi-skilled Bangladeshi manpower.

The MD of BOESL said Mongolia actively seeks workforce collaboration from Bangladesh across several key industries.

Sector insiders said that if Bangladesh sets up its embassy in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, bilateral trade and mutual cooperation and sending more manpower from Bangladesh will be possible.

There are huge manpower demand in construction and infrastructure sectors like builders, engineers, road and highway workers, and railway development personnel, farm workers, agricultural specialists, and livestock support, ready -made Garments (RMG) and textiles in Mongolia.

There are also demands for doctors, nurses, and information technology (IT) or technical engineers in Mongolia.

More than 15 million Bangladeshi workers are currently employed in 176 countries worldwide.

The country has received a record USD 35.56 billion in remittances during the 2025-26 fiscal year, according to data from Bangladesh  Bank.Bangladesh Economic Report

The inflow marks a significant increase from the USD 30.33 billion received in the previous fiscal year, 2024-25.

The strong growth in remittance earnings highlights the continued contribution of Bangladeshi expatriates to the national economy.

talhabinhabib@yahoo.com

Published Date:2026-10-26