Dhaka, Oct. 19 -- Bangladesh and Japan have formally signed a new employment agreement, paving the way for the recruitment of Bangladeshi workers in Japan from next year.

The Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment announced the Memorandum of Cooperation on Employment Skills Development (ESDP-MOC) agreement in a statement on Monday, describing it as opening a new chapter in bilateral relations.

The agreement will remain in force for 5 years and will automatically be extended for another 5 years, for a total of 10 years.

According to the statement, the agreement was signed on Saturday after nearly a year of efforts by Bangladesh's expatriates' welfare ministry and the Japanese government.

Bangladesh's secretary of the ...