BD plans QR code system for foreign workers 

 
Bangladesh is planning to introduce a QR code-based registration system for foreign nationals working in the country to tighten security, prevent unauthorised employment and curb tax evasion, money laundering and cybercrime.

The Home Ministry's Security Services Division, the Special Branch (SB) of police and the Department of Immigration and Passports have begun work on the initiative, which is still at an early stage.

The proposed system will create a central database containing foreigners' identities, workplaces and residential addresses, enabling authorities to verify their credentials, monitor their employment status and identify those suspected of criminal activities.

The proposal was first raised by the then SB chief at a quarterly conference at Rajarbagh Police Lines on August 29. An SB deputy inspector general said the system would help ensure the safety of foreign nationals and make it easier to identify suspects.

Additional Secretary to the Home Ministry Dr Zia Uddin Ahmed said introducing the system was urgent, but the government lacked updated figures on the number of foreigners living in Bangladesh.

The initiative comes amid concerns that some foreign nationals enter the country on tourist or visa-on-arrival visas but engage in unauthorised employment, evade taxes and transfer money abroad illegally.

In an operation in Cox's Bazar on September 5, police arrested six Chinese nationals from four residential hotels allegedly used for cyber fraud and online gambling. Officers seized 1,938 iPhones, 40 laptops, desktop computers and Starlink devices.

Investigators later prepared a list of 280 foreign nationals and sent it to immigration police for further action.

Monitoring foreign workers has long been complicated by a fragmented work-permit system. Permits are issued by several agencies, including the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA), Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA), NGO Affairs Bureau and Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority.

The lack of coordination among these agencies has made it difficult to maintain an accurate database of foreign workers and detect unauthorised employment.

An earlier government report put the number of legally residing foreign nationals at 107,167, including 14,399 holding employee visas and 75,456 tourist visas. Indian nationals accounted for the largest group at 37,464, followed by 11,404 Chinese nationals.

However, officials say there is no reliable estimate of undocumented foreigners.

SB chief and Additional Inspector General of Police Kamrul Ahsan said authorities were working to address regulatory gaps in the work-permit system.

"Registration of foreign nationals is a complicated matter. It cannot be implemented simply by taking a decision," he said.

Dhaka University sociology professor Dr Touhidul Haque said a QR code-based system would help verify foreign nationals' identities, employers and residential addresses. It would also make it easier to identify people involved in criminal activities and their local associates.