Many of the foreign nationals working in Bangladesh conceal their actual earnings to evade tax, which is 30 percent of their income. They send their earnings overseas through money launderers.

The report, Employment of Foreigners in Bangladesh: Challenge of Good Governance and Way to Overcome, was launched yesterday by TIB at a press conference at its office in the capital’s Dhanmondi.

The government authorities concerned and many of the recruiters of foreign employees are not following the laws and regulations, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman told the event.

The government organisations are failing to prevent this, he added.

There is a need to employ skilled foreign nationals in Bangladesh, but the recruitment has to be transparent. The country will be able to reap the benefit sustainably that way, he added.

The Bangladesh chapter of Berlin-based global graft watchdog did the research on only those foreigners who entered Bangladesh through legal means.

Foreign diplomats, pastors, researchers, students, officials of the United Nations, and international development organisations, were excluded from the survey conducted from April, 2018-December, 2019.