রিপোর্টারের নাম 
Prime Minister (PM) Tarique Rahman has ordered the introduction of a loan facility to assist Bangladeshi students planning to pursue higher education overseas, aiming to ease financial barriers such as bank guarantees and solvency requirements.
State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Nurul Hoque Nur shared the development with reporters on Tuesday following a meeting with the Prime Minister at the Secretariat.
According to the state minister, the Prime Minister directed that Probashi Kallyan Bank, which operates under the ministry, be tasked with disbursing the loans directly to eligible applicants to ensure a streamlined process.
The meeting also covered the implications of the ongoing Middle East conflict for Bangladesh’s overseas labour market. Nur said that although a large share of Bangladeshi migrant workers are employed in the region, the government does not anticipate significant disruption.
Instead, he suggested that reconstruction efforts in affected countries could create fresh demand for foreign labour.
Emphasizing skills development, the Prime Minister highlighted the need for Bangladeshi workers to learn third languages, noting that limited language proficiency often forces them into lower-paying jobs abroad.
Discussions further focused on accelerating the deployment of 100,000 workers to Japan under an existing memorandum of understanding, as well as expanding employment opportunities in European countries.
Nur said the Prime Minister had previously instructed the Foreign Ministry to encourage European nations to establish consular services in Bangladesh to simplify visa procedures.
“Some countries have already begun offering consular services here, and the Prime Minister has asked that efforts continue to ensure others follow suit,” the state minister said.
The meeting, chaired by the Prime Minister, was attended by Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury, Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam and other senior officials.
