Japanese companies recruit Bangladeshi workers without charging fees, but experts say the country needs Japanese investment to fully capitalise on manpower export opportunities under the recent Economic Partnership Agreement.

IM Japan has been recruiting workers free of cost since 2017, providing three-year employment contracts with pension benefits. KM Swad from Mymensingh went to Japan in 2022 without paying any recruitment fees and returned after three years with substantial savings.

"I received around 4 lakh yen after returning to Bangladesh. Everyone working in Japan gets pension benefits. I received approximately TK 3 lakh as pension," Swad told media. He now trains aspiring workers at Bangladesh German Technical Training Centre in Mirpur.

Dr Md Abdur Razzaque, Chairman of Research and Policy Integration for Development (RAPID), emphasised that attracting Japanese investment is crucial. "Japanese investors become interested in investing here through such agreements. They may develop skills in these sectors to serve the Japanese market and then supply this workforce themselves. This can be an effective mechanism," he said.

EPA agreement has opened 120 sectors for Bangladeshi workers in Japan. Expatriates Welfare Ministry registered 96 agencies to facilitate recruitment. However, only 15,000 Bangladeshi workers currently work in Japan, remitting approximately USD 12 crore annually.

Uchida Hideaki, General Manager of IM Japan Dhaka, revealed that Sri Lanka, Nepal, Indonesia and Vietnam have sent several times more workers through the organisation compared to Bangladesh due to various complications.

Mahin Howlader, representative of IM Japan Dhaka, stressed maintaining quality standards. "Since our market is expanding significantly, Bangladeshis will get more opportunities if workers perform well and avoid creating negative impressions," he said.

Workers undergo rigorous free training including fitness tests, Japanese language proficiency, written examinations and mathematics assessments. Trainees emphasised following Japanese rules to protect Bangladesh's reputation.

Experts warn that transparent processes and qualified workers are essential to prevent losing the Japanese market opportunity created by the EPA agreement.