Govt to Increase Staffing at Bangladesh Missions: Touhid

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain today said the government is taking active steps to increase staffing at Bangladesh’s missions abroad, particularly in consulate general offices, to provide improved services to millions of expatriates.

“We’ve started initiatives to boost human resources, especially at our consular posts... I hope to see at least some success in this effort,” he said during a discussion marking Foreign Service Day 2025 at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka.

Hossain highlighted that nearly 80 percent of the problems faced by Bangladeshi migrant workers arise before they leave the country, while the remaining 20 percent occur overseas. “Yet, our missions abroad are left handling the full 100 percent of these issues,” he noted, stressing the need to address systemic flaws at home to ease the burden on foreign posts.

Despite limited personnel and logistical challenges, Bangladeshi missions are currently serving more than 10 million expatriates worldwide. Citing Saudi Arabia as an example, he pointed out that 3.2 million Bangladeshis live in the Kingdom. “How can just 50 officials handle issues for such a vast population?” he asked.

He urged stronger domestic coordination to reduce pre-departure challenges for migrants and called for greater empathy from mission staff abroad. “Expatriates don’t visit missions out of choice—they come out of desperation. Most of them need help, even if a few behave improperly,” he said, calling on officials to serve with sincerity and acknowledge the vital economic contributions of expatriates.

Speaking to reporters later, the adviser also addressed the stalled Rohingya repatriation process, calling Bangladesh’s position a “dilemma.” He identified the Arakan Army, which now controls much of Myanmar’s Rakhine State, as a key obstacle. 

“The Arakan Army isn’t a state actor or an internationally recognized entity, so formal negotiations are off the table. But without some level of engagement with them, a solution seems unlikely,” he said, acknowledging the group’s de facto control over the region.

Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin and several former diplomats also spoke at the event, which commemorated Foreign Service Day—a date marking a decisive moment during the Liberation War of 1971, when Bengali diplomats defected from Pakistan’s Foreign Service to support Bangladesh’s provisional government.

The day honors the bravery, commitment, and professionalism of Bangladesh’s diplomats in shaping an independent foreign policy and advancing the nation’s global interests.