False Propaganda about India’s Remittance from Bangladesh

[Homo Sapiens]

False Propaganda about India’s Remittance from Bangladesh
https://www.daily-sun.com/printversion/details/331504/2018/08/26/False-Propaganda-about-India%E2%80%99s-Remittance-from-Bangladesh
Md Enamul Hassan
26 August, 2018 12:00 AM
Md Enamul Hassan



India is one of the largest foreign exchange earners in the world. The country has also been recognized as the highest foreign exchange earner during the last fiscal year according to a report published in ‘The Economic Times’ and the latest report by the World Bank.

For the last few years, India has taken its position as the highest remittance earner in history. The UAE is the first among the countries that contribute to this remittance earning followed by USA, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, England, Oman, Nepal, Canada and Australia.

India earns the highest amount of remittance from these top ten countries. It is a matter of surprise that, on July 2, an unknown online magazine called ‘The Industry News’ published a baseless report on India’s remittance income from Bangladesh. This propaganda based website claimed that India has got USD 10 billion dollars remittance from Bangladesh in 2017. The matter has already gone viral on Facebook. Moreover this news is being spread in social media without verification. Many sensible citizens have shared this news. Many have already written about this; thus, my writing is a post mortem of this baseless news.


Firstly, let us focus on this online newspaper. I have never heard of any newspaper named ‘The Industry News’. This is the first time I have heard of this newspaper. Even I came to know that this newspaper is published from Bangladesh! Please inform me in case anyone has the address of this newspaper.

Now let us focus on the language of the report. There is more than one mistake in every sentence of the said report! The language is also strange! How can a newspaper unknown to the people get news from confidential sources of India's central bank! Not only that, some information has been presented in the report quoting the World Bank, the United Nations International Migration Organisation and the Central Reserve Bank of India.

The report contains a list which says, 'Bangladesh is the fourth largest remittance source of India.' It also mentions that India has earned USD 10 billion remittance from Bangladesh in 2017.

This amount was USD 832 million in 2016 and USD 450 million in 2014. However, there is no specific statement or reference of that organisation. No information was found in the Reserve Bank of India, the World Bank or IMO in this regard. The report has quoted a private development research institute named CPD. But no such statement was issued by CPD. This has not been mentioned in its website. Then where did they get this information from!

The ‘Pew Research Centre' is an organisation known to carry reliable information on remittance and migration issues. The organisation uses the World Bank's information. Therefore, any information related to remittance can be easily verified at the Pew Research Centre website. This website has information and list on incoming and outgoing remittances of India. One will not be able to believe his/her eyes after witnessing the huge difference between this list and the alleged news! The list first shows all foreign remittance from India. This shows Bangladesh’s position at the top. Bangladesh earns USD 4 billion remittance from the neighbouring country. And in the incoming remittance, the UAE comes first and Bangladesh is at the 25th place.

India earns USD 114, 000,000 remittances from Bangladesh, whereas the alleged report mentions this amount as USD 10 billion. On the other hand, Bangladesh earned USD 406 crore from India. It is to mention that Bangladesh gains the highest remittance from India. You can verify the authenticity of this information through the provided web link of Pew Research Centre (http://www.pewglobal.org/interactives/remittance-map/)1. According to the report of ‘Times of India’ carried by April 25, 2018, the main sources of India’s remittance earning are United Arab Emirates (13.8 billion), United States (11.7 billion), Saudi Arabia (11.2 billion), Kuwait (4.6 billion) and Qatar (4.1 billion). The Times of India report also mentioned that Indian citizens are also living in Bangladesh and Pakistan but its impact on remittance is not very reflective.


India also earns remittance from two other neighbouring countries – Nepal and Bhutan. Bangladesh’s position is below these two countries as a source of India’s remittance. It is also clear from this statement that this online news portal has published confusing reports regarding remittances of India.

According to the report of top Indian media, Bangladesh’s position as a source of remittances earning is at the 25th place and the total amount of money is USD 114 million, which is similar to Pew Research Centre’s report; even according to the ‘Times of India’ report, India is the 1st source where Bangladesh earns remittance and its amount is USD 4 billion which is 35 times more than incoming and outgoing remittances of India.

The highest number of remittance comes in Bangladesh from India, which is 71% of their total remittances; 4 billion out of total 5 billion; that means Bangladesh earns 35 times more than what India takes from us. The calculation of this income can be considered very naturally.

India is the largest country and many people from Bangladesh go to the neighbouring country for employment purposes. So, the total amount of this highest population’s remittance will be huge. On the other hand, Bangladesh is a small country and the people of India are not migrants to Bangladesh rather than they are migrants to the Middle East countries like United Arab Emirates, or European countries. So, it is clear that a report carried by an online media about Bangladesh regarding India’s remittance earning is absolutely baseless and deliberate.

Many are mentioning Wikipedia’s references, but Wikipedia can never be an authentic database. This is because anyone can make addition or disseminate information in Wikipedia. So if anybody wants to present Wikipedia’s information on remittance as authentic, then it should be said that there is a limitation in his knowledge of technology and information.

In addition, it is also seen that Bangladesh’s position in Wikipedia is the 25th. So it is better to provide the right information rather than misleading someone with false information. In spite of being a smaller country than India, Bangladesh has recently reached the enviable level in the world on earning remittance. Over five million Bangladeshis working abroad send remittance to the country every year. It has already been mentioned in the list of foreign remittance earning sectors.

According to the World Bank report of the year, Bangladesh is currently one of the world’s top ten remittance earning nations. I have said earlier that Bangladesh has earned the highest amount of remittance from India. But after having such a good relationship with this country, this report has been published unexpectedly and goes viral through online. There is no reason to take this blown out information as normal.

It may be mentioned that Pakistan’s on-line news portal ‘defense.pk’ run by ISI has made the biggest publicity of the false news. Pakistan based online media, IDs and some pro-Pakistan individuals were the biggest publishers of this news in the social media.

Confusion will be created among the public where the governments of Bangladesh and India and political parties of the two countries are trying hard to bring India-Bangladesh relations to a unique height. Every citizen should write against this baseless report. It should be kept in mind that no nation can strengthen its position remaining hostile to its neighbouring country.

Everyone should be aware of the individuals who are trying to strengthen their position by weakening the relationship between Bangladesh and India. On the other hand, the government should bring to book the persons who have published this report through their website.

The opportunity to gain political interest by misguiding the people through spreading false information should end forever.



The writer is the diplomatic correspondent of the daily sun.

 

[Homo Sapiens]

Home > Bangladesh
Report on remittance outflow from Bangladesh to India ‘totally wrong’: Shringla
https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2018/09/12/report-on-remittance-outflow-from-bangladesh-to-india-totally-wrong-shringla
Senior Correspondent bdnews24.com

Published: 12 Sep 2018 10:22 PM BdST Updated: 12 Sep 2018 11:27 PM BdST

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The report that Bangladesh is the fourth largest remittance source for India is “totally wrong”, India's top diplomat in Dhaka says.




High Commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla, speaking at the inauguration of an expo in Dhaka on Wednesday, also urged the FBCCI president to share the source of the data that he cited.

Earlier, speaking at that event, Md Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, president of the apex business body, said: “Bangladesh is the fourth largest source of Indian remittance and we are proud of it.”

He made the assertion while highlighting the economic and trade relations with India

There have been some social media posts about the outflow of remittance in recent times.

“The information of Mr Mohiuddin about the remittance inflow to India from Bangladesh is totally wrong,” the high commissioner retorted during his speech.

“I don’t know from where you get this information. If you have available data please do share it with the High Commission of India,” Shringla said.

Recently, a website futurestartup.com reported that Bangladesh was the 5th largest remittance source for India with its expatriates transferring $4.08 billion back home in 2016.

It claimed to have sourced this information from an infographic prepared by Pew Research Centre based on World Bank Remittance Data.

But according to information available with Pew Research Centre, Bangladesh is not the fifth largest source of inward remittance for India and the flow of remittance is the other way around.

According to the Pew Research, the UAE, US, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, UK, Oman, Nepal, Canada, and Australia were the top ten countries from where remittance was sent to India in 2016.

However, according to that website, India topped the list of remittance-earning countries for Bangladesh in 2016, followed by Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, the UK, the US, Qatar and Oman.

The CEMS Global and CEMS Bangladesh organsied the 19th Textech Bangladesh 2018, the 14th Dhaka International Yarn & Fabric Show 2018 and the 33rd Dye+Chem Bangladesh 2018 at the Bangabandhu International Convention Centre in Dhaka.

Speaker of the parliament Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury was also present.

 

[Black_cats]

False Propaganda about India’s Remittance from Bangladesh
https://www.daily-sun.com/printversion/details/331504/2018/08/26/False-Propaganda-about-India%E2%80%99s-Remittance-from-Bangladesh
Md Enamul Hassan
26 August, 2018 12:00 AM
Md Enamul Hassan



India is one of the largest foreign exchange earners in the world. The country has also been recognized as the highest foreign exchange earner during the last fiscal year according to a report published in ‘The Economic Times’ and the latest report by the World Bank.

For the last few years, India has taken its position as the highest remittance earner in history. The UAE is the first among the countries that contribute to this remittance earning followed by USA, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, England, Oman, Nepal, Canada and Australia.

India earns the highest amount of remittance from these top ten countries. It is a matter of surprise that, on July 2, an unknown online magazine called ‘The Industry News’ published a baseless report on India’s remittance income from Bangladesh. This propaganda based website claimed that India has got USD 10 billion dollars remittance from Bangladesh in 2017. The matter has already gone viral on Facebook. Moreover this news is being spread in social media without verification. Many sensible citizens have shared this news. Many have already written about this; thus, my writing is a post mortem of this baseless news.


Firstly, let us focus on this online newspaper. I have never heard of any newspaper named ‘The Industry News’. This is the first time I have heard of this newspaper. Even I came to know that this newspaper is published from Bangladesh! Please inform me in case anyone has the address of this newspaper.

Now let us focus on the language of the report. There is more than one mistake in every sentence of the said report! The language is also strange! How can a newspaper unknown to the people get news from confidential sources of India's central bank! Not only that, some information has been presented in the report quoting the World Bank, the United Nations International Migration Organisation and the Central Reserve Bank of India.

The report contains a list which says, 'Bangladesh is the fourth largest remittance source of India.' It also mentions that India has earned USD 10 billion remittance from Bangladesh in 2017.

This amount was USD 832 million in 2016 and USD 450 million in 2014. However, there is no specific statement or reference of that organisation. No information was found in the Reserve Bank of India, the World Bank or IMO in this regard. The report has quoted a private development research institute named CPD. But no such statement was issued by CPD. This has not been mentioned in its website. Then where did they get this information from!

The ‘Pew Research Centre' is an organisation known to carry reliable information on remittance and migration issues. The organisation uses the World Bank's information. Therefore, any information related to remittance can be easily verified at the Pew Research Centre website. This website has information and list on incoming and outgoing remittances of India. One will not be able to believe his/her eyes after witnessing the huge difference between this list and the alleged news! The list first shows all foreign remittance from India. This shows Bangladesh’s position at the top. Bangladesh earns USD 4 billion remittance from the neighbouring country. And in the incoming remittance, the UAE comes first and Bangladesh is at the 25th place.

India earns USD 114, 000,000 remittances from Bangladesh, whereas the alleged report mentions this amount as USD 10 billion. On the other hand, Bangladesh earned USD 406 crore from India. It is to mention that Bangladesh gains the highest remittance from India. You can verify the authenticity of this information through the provided web link of Pew Research Centre (http://www.pewglobal.org/interactives/remittance-map/)1. According to the report of ‘Times of India’ carried by April 25, 2018, the main sources of India’s remittance earning are United Arab Emirates (13.8 billion), United States (11.7 billion), Saudi Arabia (11.2 billion), Kuwait (4.6 billion) and Qatar (4.1 billion). The Times of India report also mentioned that Indian citizens are also living in Bangladesh and Pakistan but its impact on remittance is not very reflective.


India also earns remittance from two other neighbouring countries – Nepal and Bhutan. Bangladesh’s position is below these two countries as a source of India’s remittance. It is also clear from this statement that this online news portal has published confusing reports regarding remittances of India.

According to the report of top Indian media, Bangladesh’s position as a source of remittances earning is at the 25th place and the total amount of money is USD 114 million, which is similar to Pew Research Centre’s report; even according to the ‘Times of India’ report, India is the 1st source where Bangladesh earns remittance and its amount is USD 4 billion which is 35 times more than incoming and outgoing remittances of India.

The highest number of remittance comes in Bangladesh from India, which is 71% of their total remittances; 4 billion out of total 5 billion; that means Bangladesh earns 35 times more than what India takes from us. The calculation of this income can be considered very naturally.

India is the largest country and many people from Bangladesh go to the neighbouring country for employment purposes. So, the total amount of this highest population’s remittance will be huge. On the other hand, Bangladesh is a small country and the people of India are not migrants to Bangladesh rather than they are migrants to the Middle East countries like United Arab Emirates, or European countries. So, it is clear that a report carried by an online media about Bangladesh regarding India’s remittance earning is absolutely baseless and deliberate.

Many are mentioning Wikipedia’s references, but Wikipedia can never be an authentic database. This is because anyone can make addition or disseminate information in Wikipedia. So if anybody wants to present Wikipedia’s information on remittance as authentic, then it should be said that there is a limitation in his knowledge of technology and information.

In addition, it is also seen that Bangladesh’s position in Wikipedia is the 25th. So it is better to provide the right information rather than misleading someone with false information. In spite of being a smaller country than India, Bangladesh has recently reached the enviable level in the world on earning remittance. Over five million Bangladeshis working abroad send remittance to the country every year. It has already been mentioned in the list of foreign remittance earning sectors.

According to the World Bank report of the year, Bangladesh is currently one of the world’s top ten remittance earning nations. I have said earlier that Bangladesh has earned the highest amount of remittance from India. But after having such a good relationship with this country, this report has been published unexpectedly and goes viral through online. There is no reason to take this blown out information as normal.

It may be mentioned that Pakistan’s on-line news portal ‘defense.pk’ run by ISI has made the biggest publicity of the false news. Pakistan based online media, IDs and some pro-Pakistan individuals were the biggest publishers of this news in the social media.

Confusion will be created among the public where the governments of Bangladesh and India and political parties of the two countries are trying hard to bring India-Bangladesh relations to a unique height. Every citizen should write against this baseless report. It should be kept in mind that no nation can strengthen its position remaining hostile to its neighbouring country.

Everyone should be aware of the individuals who are trying to strengthen their position by weakening the relationship between Bangladesh and India. On the other hand, the government should bring to book the persons who have published this report through their website.

The opportunity to gain political interest by misguiding the people through spreading false information should end forever.



The writer is the diplomatic correspondent of the daily sun.

That included illegal channel as well.

Huge amount of money going to India through hundi no denying on this.

All Indian products that you see at stores comes via hundi.

 

[Deathstar]

10 billion dollar remittance from Bangladesh is a joke and is absolutely false lol 10 billion is approximately 3% of Bangladesh GDP

 

[Homo Sapiens]

That included illegal channel as well.

Huge amount of money going to India through hundi no denying on this.

All Indian products that you see at stores comes via hundi.

Yes, a lot of money going to India illegally, but 10 billion is surely a big exaggeration. There are few jobs in Bangladesh which gives 10,000 US dollar salary per annum. To reach 10 billion, it would take 1 million such lucrative job available for Indians in Dhaka, Chittagong. Which surely do not exist. It is true that, there are many Indians in Dhaka, but that figure is nowhere near 1 million. If that were the case, we would have come across 1 Indian on every 10 random person we see in the streets. But this is not the case.

 

[Black_cats]

Yes, a lot of money going to India illegally, but 10 billion is surely a big exaggeration. There are few jobs in Bangladesh which gives 10,000 US dollar salary per annum. To reach 10 billion, it would take 1 million such lucrative job available for Indians in Dhaka, Chittagong. Which surely do not exist. It is true that, there are many Indians in Dhaka, but that figure is nowhere near 1 million. If that were the case, we would have come across 1 Indian on every 10 random person we see in the streets. But this is not the case.

Many medium to top executives earn more than 100k USD per year. That figure does not count salary only but money transfer illegally for products and services brought from India which account most of the money.

10 billion dollar remittance from Bangladesh is a joke and is absolutely false lol 10 billion is approximately 3% of Bangladesh GDP

Thats counted products and services brought from India via hundi.

 

[Homo Sapiens]

Many medium to top executives earn more than 100k USD per year.

I do not think such highly lucrative jobs are more than a few thousands in Bangladesh. It would take the top positions in any company in Bangladesh to achieve that kind of '6 figure in dollar' money as a salary. Surely some Indians are getting 6 figure salary in Bangladesh, but their number could not be more than a few hundreds maximum. It entails tens of millions of dollar maximum.

That figure does not count salary only but money transfer illegally for products and services brought from India which account most of the money.

This should be counted on illegal trade/smuggling sector. But those guys in conference claiming 10 billion dollar by foreign skilled workers filling the mid level positions. This 10 billion figure can be debunked by another way. According to FBCCI, 14% garments owners in Bangladesh hire foreign workers. Our entire garments sale in a year is 30 billion dollar. There is no way that, some Indians and Sri Lankan are taking 1/3rd of total income generated by whole industry by just doing service in mid level managerial positions in 1/7th of the garments factories. Lion share of the profits surely goes to the owners, then the 4.5 million Bangladeshi workers.

 

[Black_cats]

I do not think such highly lucrative jobs are more than a few thousands in Bangladesh. It would take the top positions in any company in Bangladesh to achieve that kind of '6 figure in dollar' money as a salary. Surely some Indians are getting 6 figure salary in Bangladesh, but their number could not be more than a few hundreds maximum. It entails tens of millions of dollar maximum.


This should be counted on illegal trade/smuggling sector. But those guys in conference claiming 10 billion dollar by foreign skilled workers filling the mid level positions. This 10 billion figure can be debunked by another way. According to FBCCI, 14% garments owners in Bangladesh hire foreign workers. Our entire garments sale in a year is 30 billion dollar. There is no way that, some Indians and Sri Lankan are taking 1/3rd of total income generated by whole industry by just doing service in mid level managerial positions in 1/7th of the garments factories. Lion share of the profits surely goes to the owners, then the 4.5 million Bangladeshi workers.

You are again bringing RMG salary only. Not many business transferring to India via hundi.

There are 1-2 million illegal indian living here in Bangladesh. On average even 5000 usd salary will put the figure 5 billion to 10 billion usd. Even if it is less there are money laundering by hundi.

 

[Homo Sapiens]

You are again bringing RMG salary only. Not many business transferring to India via hundi.

RMG is the 800 pound gorilla in Bangladesh. It's size, economic scale are huge compared to other sectors. And it's capability to hire foreign workers. That's why everyone including me focus on RMG.

There are 1-2 million illegal indian living here in Bangladesh. On average even 5000 usd salary will put the figure 5 billion to 10 billion usd. Even if it is less there are money laundering by hundi.

One million illegal Indians are probable including their dependent family members in Bangladesh. But not all of them are earning 5000 US dollar. Many are just swiping the streets or doing some other odd jobs. So multiplying 1-2 million with 5k, 10k dollar is not right. I think with reasonable conviction that, Indians in Bangladesh sending maximum 1 billion dollar in legal and illegal channels. This entails about 2000 dollar per person if we assume 1 million Indians in BD and earning population to be 500k. This is very in line with global trend of migrants sending money to their native countries.

 

[Black_cats]

RMG is the 800 pound gorilla in Bangladesh. It's size, economic scale are huge compared to other sectors. And it's capability to hire foreign workers. That's why everyone including me focus on RMG.

One million illegal Indians are probable including their dependent family members in Bangladesh. but not all of them are earning 5000 US dollar. Many are just swiping the streets or doing some other odd jobs. So multiplying 1-2 million with 5k, 10k is not right. I think with reasonable conviction that, Indians in Bangladesh sending maximum 1 billion dollar in legal and illegal channels. This entails about 2000 dollar per person if we assume 1 million Indians in BD and earning population to be 500k. This is very in line with global trend of migrants sending money to their native countries.

Not really. It is not only salary, many transfer the profits as well. You know it many RMG and other companies are Indian owned.

1 billion is highly understatement. Even in 2012 it was reported Indians in Bangladesh are remitting around 4 billion USD.

https://www.siliconindia.com/news/b...st-Remittances-to-India-nid-147515-cid-3.html

Back in 2009 home ministry reported 500000 Indian lives in Bangladesh and I am quite sure under Hasina government it has increased 2-3 times quite easily. Most of them are illegal so rare chance as you have calculated every one is here with three kids and wife.

The following gives a snapshot of money laundering every year from Bangladesh.

DEMAND FOR FUNDS, I.E. FOREIGN EXCHANGE: There are perhaps five demands. I list them in terms of the size and give an estimate of the size:

https://www.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/views/the-hundi-market-and-remittances-1526397663

1. Under invoicing of imports: $10-15 billion per annum and growing.
2. Indian and Siri Lankan nationals working in Bangladesh [largely in the RMG industry] sending funds home: $3-4 billion per annum.
3. Capital flight by Bangladeshi nationals: $1-2 billion per annum.
4. Payment of bills for education and medical care largely in India: $ 1.0 billion per annum.
5. Coverage of the trade deficit of the informal trade between India and Bangladesh: $1-3 billion per annum.

These demands total $16-25 billion per annum. For the first two types of demands there is some empirical information. For the three small components, educated guesses have been made based on scapes of information

 

[UKBengali]

Not really. It is not only salary, many transfer the profits as well. You know it many RMG and other companies are Indian owned.

1 billion is highly understatement. Even in 2012 it was reported Indians in Bangladesh are remitting around 4 billion USD.

https://www.siliconindia.com/news/b...st-Remittances-to-India-nid-147515-cid-3.html

Back in 2009 home ministry reported 500000 Indian lives in Bangladesh and I am quite sure under Hasina government it has increased 2-3 times quite easily. Most of them are illegal so rare chance as you have calculated every one is here with three kids and wife.

The following gives a snapshot of money laundering every year from Bangladesh.

DEMAND FOR FUNDS, I.E. FOREIGN EXCHANGE: There are perhaps five demands. I list them in terms of the size and give an estimate of the size:

https://www.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/views/the-hundi-market-and-remittances-1526397663

1. Under invoicing of imports: $10-15 billion per annum and growing.
2. Indian and Siri Lankan nationals working in Bangladesh [largely in the RMG industry] sending funds home: $3-4 billion per annum.
3. Capital flight by Bangladeshi nationals: $1-2 billion per annum.
4. Payment of bills for education and medical care largely in India: $ 1.0 billion per annum.
5. Coverage of the trade deficit of the informal trade between India and Bangladesh: $1-3 billion per annum.

These demands total $16-25 billion per annum. For the first two types of demands there is some empirical information. For the three small components, educated guesses have been made based on scapes of information

Who told you most RMG factories are Indian owned?
Most are owned by BD citizens.
If Indian's can make a success of RMG in BD, why have they failed so miserably in India, despite the fact they had had GSP facility in USA for many decades.

 

[Black_cats]

Who told you most RMG factories are Indian owned?
Most are owned by BD citizens.
If Indian's can make a success of RMG in BD, why have they failed so miserably in India, despite the fact they had had GSP facility in USA for many decades.

I said many not most.

It's because Bangladesh has cheap labor and duty free access to many countries of the world.

 

[UKBengali]

I said many not most.

It's because Bangladesh has cheap labor and duty free access to many countries of the world.

Already answered that.
India has had GSP facility with US for decades and their labour
has been cheap till say last 10 years and they have had little success in USA. Also just 5 years ago BD garment factories struggled to meet shipments due to power and transport constraints that India did not have.
BD has had no GSP facility in USA since last 6 years and still exports nearly 6 billion dollars a year and the minimum wage is now nearly 100 US dollars a month!

 

[Homo Sapiens]

Who told you most RMG factories are Indian owned?
Most are owned by BD citizens.
If Indian's can make a success of RMG in BD, why have they failed so miserably in India, despite the fact they had had GSP facility in USA for many decades.

According to FBCCI, 14% percent garments factory hire foreign workers. This 14% include both Bangladeshi and foreign owned garments factories. Foreign owned factories are more prone to hire people from their native country. So, foreign owned garments factory in Bangladesh can not be more than 10 percent of total realistically.

 

[Black_cats]

According to FBCCI, 14% percent garments factory hire foreign workers. This 14% include both Bangladeshi and foreign owned garments factories. Foreign owned factories are more prone to hire people from their native country. So, foreign owned garments factory in Bangladesh can not be more than 10 percent of total realistically.

Majority of the foreign workers work off the record coming here as tourist. So don’t rely on FBCCI data only. As that does not include people working here illegally.

By the way CPD also released this report for 2016 data. They said RMG’s foreign workers are remitting 5 billion USD a year. Foreign employee percentage wise reach 47% in big RMG factories.

www.thedailystar.net/news/business/garment-factories-still-rely-foreign-experts-cpd-survey-1626895%3famp

Published on 12:00 AM, August 31, 2018
Garment factories still rely on foreign experts: CPD survey

Professor Rehman Sobhan, centre, chairman of the CPD, and Saber Hossain Chowdhury, second from left, a lawmaker and the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the textiles and jute ministry, attend a conference on “Transformation in the RMG sector in post-Rana Plaza period” at Khazana Gardenia Grand Hall in Dhaka yesterday. Photo: Star
Star Business Report

Around 13 percent of the country's garment factories have employed foreign experts in the top posts who remit over $5 billion from Bangladesh every year, a new study found.

Among the large factories, the percentage is even bigger -- 47 percent, according to the CPD RMG Study 2016, a two-year-long survey conducted by the Centre for Policy Dialogue.


National Board of Revenue also admitted the fact though they could not come with exact figure.

https://www.dhakatribune.com/business/2018/01/19/nbr-finds-foreigners-dodging-income-tax

Foreigners working in Bangladesh have to pay 30% tax on their income. It is estimated that the foreigners remit between $4 billion and $5 billion annually.

How many foreign workers evaded tax?

About 12,000 foreigners receive permission each year to work in Bangladesh, according to Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) data. Any business house wanting to employ foreign nationals needs to take prior permission from BIDA.

Violators of this rule will have to pay Tk500,000 or 50% of the errant employees’ income tax as fine or face a jail term of up to three years with or without the Tk500,000 fine. The companies may also lose tax holidays or other exemption benefits.

Records from different ministries show that around 450,000 foreign nationals, mostly from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, China, Taiwan, South Korea and some European and African countries are currently working in Bangladesh. They are working in non-government organizations (NGOs), hotels, restaurants, education institutions, garments, hospitals and other sectors.

Only 11,000 of them are regularly paying income tax, NBR sources said. Besides, many of them are working without any work authorization. They are able to leave the country without paying their due tax with the help of some unscrupulous employers.