Bangladesh seeks 100,000 workers in Russian job market

Bangladesh and Russia are charting a path toward a major economic partnership, highlighted by a bold proposal from Dhaka to increase its workforce in Russia tenfold, bringing the current number of nearly 10,000 workers to 100,000 within the next year.

The ambitious target emerged as a key outcome of Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman’s three-day official visit to Russia from June 7 to 9, according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs press release issued this morning (June 9).

Moscow has responded positively to the initiative, agreeing to expedite the proposal and finalize the necessary formalities shortly.

During the bilateral discussions, both nations acknowledged that current trade volumes fall far short of their actual potential. To address this gap, Dr. Khalilur Rahman pitched a rapid expansion in key sectors, urging Russia to significantly increase its imports of Bangladeshi products, with a particular focus on ready-made garments and pharmaceuticals. To turn these proposals into reality, Russian authorities welcomed Bangladesh’s plan to dispatch a high-level business delegation to Russia in the coming weeks to map out new commercial avenues and strengthen economic ties.

Beyond traditional trade, the talks took a futuristic turn with deep discussions on technological cooperation, specifically Artificial Intelligence. Dr. Khalilur Rahman invited a Russian delegation to Bangladesh to share expertise on deploying AI in agriculture and healthcare, a proposal that received an immediate and positive response from Moscow.

Furthermore, Russia expressed strong interest in assisting Bangladesh with the formulation of its national AI policy and the establishment of advanced AI centers of excellence across the country.

Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman was accompanied on this strategic diplomatic mission by Humaiun Kobir, the Prime Minister's Adviser on Foreign Affairs.