Wednesday, September 9, 2009

NRB (NON-RESIDENT BANGLADESHI) ISSUES PRESENTED TO THE GOVERNMENT OF BANGLADESH BY THE NRB COUNCIL USA

NRB Council USA Requests Bangladesh Government to set up a Facilitation Center for Non-Resident Bangladeshis:

For the five (5) million Bangladeshis living abroad, getting information about their country especially the growing investment opportunities in various sectors should not be just more than a click away. We are requesting that The Ministry of Expatriate’s Welfare and Overseas Employment in association with Board of Investment should form a Facilitation Center, which will act as “one-stop-shop” for addressing all the queries of the Non-Resident Bangladeshis regarding opportunities available in the country. This center, through its website and offices, will provide reliable information and data on investment opportunities free of cost besides facilitating clearance of projects on an individual basis as a paid value added service. “The Bangladesh Overseas Facilitation Center (BOFC) would act as an one-stop-shop for enhancing partnership with the Bangladeshis residing abroad by giving authentic and real time information.

Based on a public-private partnership model, the BOFC can be jointly promoted and managed by the Ministry and Confederation of Bangladesh Industries (CBI) to operate as a “not-for-profit trust. Besides providing a data base of investment opportunities, the center could also offer advisory services to Non-Resident Bangladeshis like consular issues, financial services and their stay in Bangladesh. The center will screen the opportunities available in the country before enlisting these for Non-Resident Bangladeshis aiming at tapping prospective investors.

The focus of the center will be to facilitate individuals to come and invest in Bangladesh and it may not meant for large business houses. The will promote overseas NRB’s investment into Bangladesh and facilitate business partnership, by giving reliable information and also by providing paid handholding services to the potential investors. Since NRB’s are the major contributors for the economic growth of Bangladesh, the objective is to bring Bangladesh business and potential overseas investors on the same platform.

So In line with the slogan to build “Digital Bangladesh”, The Government should launch a Bangladesh Overseas Facilitation Center (BOFC) website in which the database and information will be available, for the use of future overseas investors at the touch of a button.


NRB Council USA Requests the Government to Resolve the Following Expatriate Issues:

As Non-Resident Bangladeshis, we would also like to emphasize that The Government of Bangladesh will expedite to resolve the following issues:

1. Non-Resident Bangladeshis should be able to vote in national elections from overseas.

2. As pledged in election manifesto of present Government, we NRBs strongly support offering jobs to less privileged poor people nationwide under Government sponsorship, so that we would not have to take huge burden of supporting our immediate families for the rest of our lives.

3. Secured investment services need to enable to potential overseas investors to benefit from Bangladesh’s rapidly growing economy.

4. Visit Visa fees should be waived for Non-Resident Bangladeshis, who regularly contribute to the growth of Bangladesh economy with their hard earned foreign currencies.

5. At the same token transaction fees for sending needy foreign currencies to Bangladesh should be waived.

6. Bangladesh Government should be held accountable to safeguard NRB’s property rights in Bangladesh, esp. from deceased parents in matters of transfer of ownership.

7. Bangladeshis who had harmed NRBs cannot and should not get overseas visa. They must be declared pariah or persona non-grata.

8. Our Government should make agreement, especially, with USA that NRBs should be able to bring their immediate family members (spouse, children, parents, siblings) within the shortest possible time thereby ensuring family bondage and human rights of the loved ones.

9. NRBs should be able to bring their family asset/wealth without much restriction to their adopted country. Those emigrating must be able to bring as much money as he/she has, so that all other illegal means of money laundering are stopped for good. A Government-to-Government agreement is necessary here to facilitate such a process. Similarly, when an NRB decides to invest in Bangladesh, there should not be any restriction either from the USA on such gainful, legal business ventures. The overall process needed to be transparent, reciprocal and easy for the age of global economy we live in.

10. To apply for “dual citizenship”, currently it is required to provide many confidential information in the form. Expatriates, who are by-birth Bangladeshis, do not feel comfortable to provide such unnecessary information. Most applicants complain about time period required for approval. Few also claim that their entire application package was misplaced or lost.

11. We would like to request Bangladesh Government to review the process and requirements for expatriates applying for “dual citizenship”. Being Bangladeshi Citizens by-birth, we should not be obliged to obtain “dual citizenship” from Bangladesh Govt., even though we are naturalized citizens of other countries. We should be able to retain our original Bangladesh Citizenship; there is no need and purpose of obtaining dual citizenship!

12. NRBs should be allowed to own or inherit properties in Bangladesh based on our birthright; we should always be considered as Bangladesh citizen.

13. Being the largest contributor to the national economy, NRBs should be given higher priority (similar to army and other govt. officials) in the allocation of DIT housing plots.

14. The Govt. recently announced to establish a “Probashi Kallyan Bank” for the benefit of the expatriates. We are urging that only the NRBs should be allowed to buy shares and be able to make secured investment back home through this bank. This will increase remittance and it will improve the future economic growth of Bangladesh.

Also we would like to express our concern that the upcoming NRB Conference scheduled to be held in December in Dhaka, is not properly authorized or not well represented by the overseas Bangladeshis. In the year 2007, the NRB conference was held in Dhaka without proper representation from NRBs and we protested from many States of the United States (a copy of the protest letter sent to the Bangladesh Government is enclosed), but no action was taken. The Government needs to ensure that all the NRB organizations are in agreement when hosting such important events in Bangladesh.

3 comments:

  1. I think, those who are giving innocent foreigh currency earner NRBs hard time by grabbing their property, should be penalized heavily and should be punished with a minimum 8 years jail term. The legal action should be fast and corruption free.

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  2. Can anyone help me to rescue my property in Feni and Chittagong. My brother is a land grabber in this case. I am a victim open to any suggestion!!! ahmedsrus@gmail.com

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  3. is there any update on bringing money abroad upon liqudation of assests?

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