Dhaka: A total of 34,32,658 Bangladeshi workers went to different countries of the world for jobs from 2009 to 2015 with the no objection certificate from the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET).

Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Nurul Islam BSc informed the Parliament on Thursday in reply to a question from Tariqat Federation lawmaker MA Awal (Lakkhipur-1).

The minister said 5,55,881 Bangladeshi workers went abroad for job in 2015, while the number in 2014 was 4,25,684.

He also said that 4,09,253 Bangladeshi workers went to different countries in 2013 and 6,07,798 in 2012, while the number in 2011 was 5,68,062, in 2010---3,90,702 and in 2009---4,75,278.

Nurul Islam told Jatiya Party lawmaker Nurul Islam Omar that there are 28 labour wings in different countries of the world.

The minister said a total of 8,006 Bangladeshis were arrested in different countries for staying illegally in those countries.

Of them, he said, the highest number of 3536 Bangladeshis were detained for such an offence in Malaysia, followed by 1584 in the United Arab Emirates, 912 in Oman, 581 in Saudi Arabia and 447 in Qatar.

Besides, 69 Bangladeshis were detained in Italy, 39 in Hong Kong, 131 in Greece, 48 in Iraq, 87 in Singapore, 12 in Japan, four in Egypt, 14 in Brunei, 64 in Australia, 12 in Bahrain, 193 in Thailand, 193 in Kuwait and 12 in Libya, the minister said.

These arrested Bangladeshis were detained in different jails, deportation centres and border camps, Nurul Islam said, adding Bangladesh embassies in respective countries have been providing legal aid for their release.