Bangladesh and Japan signed a landmark Memorandum of Cooperation on Employment Skills Development (ESDP-MOC) opening new avenues for Bangladeshi workers to secure jobs in Japan starting April 1, 2027.
The deal was finalized after nearly a year of negotiation led by Bangladesh’s Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment alongside Japanese government ministries including the Ministries of Justice, Foreign Affairs, Health, Labour and Welfare and the National Police Agency.
The bilateral agreement will remain active for an initial five-year period with an automatic five-year extension, extending its total duration to a decade. Copies of the agreement will be formally exchanged during Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's upcoming visit to Japan.
Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury highlighted that the deal provides robust workplace protections and ensures Bangladeshi migrants earn competitive wages while gaining specialized technical skills and long-term residency options.
Under the terms of the agreement the Bangladeshi workers will enjoy legal rights equal to Japanese nationals, regardless of gender. Crucially the deal incorporates strict safeguards for female migrant workers, explicitly prohibiting dismissals and wage discrimination or forced repatriation due to pregnancy or childbirth.
Officials state that this initiative will enhance Bangladesh's skilled workforce also boost national remittance inflow and deepen diplomatic and economic ties between the two nations.
