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State Minister for Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury has urged British-Bangladeshis to send remittances through legal channels for building a smart Bangladesh.
"The money sent by expatriates in Bangladesh through legal channels will be protected, and there is an opportunity to earn more profit from this money than other countries through saving and investing with government incentives," he said.
The state minister made the remarks while speaking at the remittance fair as the chief guest organised by the Bangladesh High Commission in London on Friday, according to a press release.
He said there is a plan to introduce “Remittance Award” for those who send the highest remittance through legal channels. He also said the proposal for increasing the incentive from 2.5 per cent to 3 per cent for sending remittances, which has been given by the representatives of various remittance sending institutions, will be raised at the highest level of the government for consideration.
"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is implementing various measures for the welfare of expatriates and increasing their facilities," he added.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem said in her welcome speech at the event, "Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman launched Sonali Bank in the UK in 1974 and started sending remittances to Bangladesh through legal channels."
Following the ideals and ethics of Bangabandhu, his daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has taken various steps with utmost importance to provide expatriates with special privileges in various fields including, 2.5 per cent incentive for sending remittances and CIP status.
At the event, the representatives of various remittance-sending organisations raised various proposals to take encouraging steps with special incentives for them.
Sultan Mahmud Sharif, one of the organisers of Bangladesh's Liberation War in the UK, and prominent community figure Syed Sajidur Rahman Farooq spoke as special guests at the event.
To increase the flow of remittances to Bangladesh, the representatives of various organisations that send remittances also spoke at the special fair of the Bangladesh High Commission in London.
A total of 14 leading remittance-sending companies that send remittance from the UK to Bangladesh participated in the fair and informed the visitors about the facilities and incentives for sending remittances through legal channels.
Earlier, the state minister discussed various issues related to the interests and welfare of expatriates in an exchange meeting with British-Bangladeshi journalists.
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