Bangladesh migrant worker welfare fund guide

Q: What number can a worker call from abroad?

+880 9610102030. Inside Bangladesh, call 16135.

Bangladesh raised the migrant worker welfare fee from Tk 3,500 to Tk 5,500 from 1 October 2026 ¹. The Wage Earners' Welfare Board uses its fund for services set by law, including help for workers in danger, repatriation, legal and medical aid, return of bodies, death-related support and education help for workers' children ². Current Board pages list Tk 35,000 for body transport and burial and a Tk 300,000 family grant ^3,4.

Welfare fee: Tk 5,500 from 1 October 2026 ¹
Previous fee: Tk 3,500 ¹
Body transport and burial: Tk 35,000 ³
Family death grant: Tk 300,000 ⁴
Medical help: Up to Tk 200,000 on the current page ⁵
Domestic call centre: 16135 ⁶
From abroad: +880 9610102030 ⁶

The fee from 1 October 2026

A ministry circular dated 20 September 2026 resets the welfare fee at Tk 5,500 from 1 October 2026 ¹. It says the Tk 3,500 amount had been in force since 2015 and raises it as the scope and scale of worker welfare services have grown ¹.

The circular applies to the welfare fee collected from outbound or overseas-based workers and through airport arrangements ¹. It changes the welfare fee only. Insurance, passport, travel tax and recruitment costs are separate items.

What the law assigns to the Board

The Wage Earners' Welfare Board Act 2018 establishes the Board as a statutory body ². Its duties include pre-departure briefings, welfare desks at departure and arrival points, rescue and return support, legal and medical help for workers in danger, and help returning a deceased worker's body ².

The Act directs the Board to help recover compensation, unpaid wages, insurance and service benefits. It covers financial grants for dependants and education stipends for meritorious children, plus support for disabled children and dependants ². These are statutory functions, not a promise that every claim is approved without evidence.

Death-related assistance

The Board says welfare desks at Bangladesh's three international airports hand a returned body to the family and provide a Tk 35,000 cheque for transport and burial costs ³.

A separate Board service page says the family of a worker who died abroad receives a Tk 300,000 grant after the requested records are submitted. Payment goes to the family bank account through electronic transfer, and the family receives an SMS ⁴. The grant and the Tk 35,000 airport payment are two different forms of support ^3,4.

Medical, insurance and other services

The current Board medical-assistance page says an injured or sick returned worker can receive up to Tk 200,000 after application, verification, a video call and Board approval ⁵. An older Board page still shows a Tk 150,000 maximum ⁷. The newer page is used here, and applicants should confirm the amount during the claim ^5,7.

The Board helps workers or their families obtain benefits under the mandatory migrant-worker insurance scheme. Its page asks for proof of BMET clearance or Board membership and a passport copy ⁸. The Board portal lists education stipends, disability allowance, reintegration, repatriation, medical help and grant services ⁶.

How to seek help

Start at the Wage Earners' Welfare Board portal or the service page for the benefit ⁶. Prepare proof of the worker's status, passport, BMET clearance or Board membership, bank details and the event-specific records. A death claim can require the death certificate and family records ⁴.

The Probashbandhu call centre is 16135 inside Bangladesh and +880 9610102030 from abroad ⁶. The portal describes the service as available 24 hours a day ⁶. Do not pay an unofficial person to lodge a welfare claim.

Common questions

How much is the Bangladesh migrant welfare fee?

Tk 5,500 from 1 October 2026. The former amount was Tk 3,500 ¹.

What does the welfare fund cover?

The law assigns rescue, return, legal, medical, death, family and education support to the Board ².

How much does a family receive after a worker dies abroad?

The Board lists a Tk 300,000 family grant and a separate Tk 35,000 payment for body transport and burial ^3,4.

How much medical help is available?

The current service page states up to Tk 200,000 after review and approval ⁵.

What number can a worker call from abroad?

+880 9610102030 ⁶. Inside Bangladesh, call 16135 ⁶.

Rules and fees change. Check the official site linked on this page before you apply or pay. Spotted an error? Email [email protected] with the official link.

Sources

Related guides

Bangladesh migrant worker fees
Official records for the Tk 5,500 welfare fee, BMET clearance, EC card, passport and travel tax.
BMET emigration clearance and the smart card
The official route to BMET emigration clearance, the downloadable EC card, required preparation and what the public fee records do and do not confirm.
Official recruitment cost ceilings by country
The Bangladesh government ceilings published for recruiting agents, what the figures include, and the official evidence that workers have paid much more.
The total official cost of leaving Bangladesh
Add Bangladesh travel tax and official airport fees for SAARC, other Asian and long-haul flights, with examples and exemptions.