Recently, Mauritius approved companies there to hire 5,000 female workers from Bangladesh for garment and Tuna packaging factories, said the recruiting agent, requesting anonymity. Of them, 4,000 will work in garment factories.

Manpower export is a major foreign exchange earner for Bangladesh that sends out millions of workers. But many have been sent back home in the wake of global recession.

Malaysia, which last year had over 130,000 Bangladeshi workers, cancelled 55,000 workers visas this year.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met her Malaysian counterpart Najib Tun Razak on the sidelines of the 15th Non-Aligned Summit in Egypt Thursday. She requested him to recruit more manpower from Bangladesh and ensure all facilities for professional betterment of the Bangladeshi expatriates.

In reply, Najib assured Hasina of ensuring necessary facilities for the Bangladeshi people there, the New Age newspaper said.