Bangladesh to send first batch of 12 workers to Mongolia Nov 1 www.thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Bangladesh is set to send its first batch of workers to Mongolia on November 1, as the government seeks to explore new overseas employment destinations beyond traditional labour markets.Bangladesh Economic Report

The workers will be sent through Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL), a state-owned entity under the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment.

"Initially, we are going to send a total of 12 male workers to Mongolia on November 1 to work in different sectors. They will go to Mongolia at zero migration cost," Managing Director (MD) of BOESL Mohammad Rashedul Haque told the FE at his office on Sunday.

The workers will be employed in warehouses and as support staff at markets and shopping malls, he said.

"Each worker will receive a monthly salary of US $400, along with $4 a day for meals. The Mongolian company will provide accommodation for Bangladeshi workers free of cost," he said.

Mr Haque said initially the workers will serve a three-month probationary period, during which they would receive their monthly salaries and other benefits.

Their employment contracts will be for two years, with the possibility of renewal. The contracts may be extended if the workers demonstrate satisfactory performance, he said.

He added that another 18 workers were preparing to travel to Mongolia for employment soon. A private organisation in Mongolia is recruiting Bangladeshi manpower.

The BOESL MD said the Bangladesh embassy in Beijing played a key role in facilitating the recruitment of Bangladeshi workers.

Explaining the selection process, he said BOESL had published an advertisement in response to a manpower demand from the Mongolian company, attracting several hundred applicants from across Bangladesh.

"They were interviewed online by the Mongolian company officials in the presence of BOESL officials. After 12 persons were selected, the BOESL provided them with training," he maintained.

The workers are aged between 20 and 30, with educational qualifications ranging from the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) to a master's degree, Mr Haque said, adding that they are capable of speaking communicative English.

He said the recruiting company will bear the expenses of medical treatment of the Bangladeshi workers if any of them falls sick.

The   economy of Mongolia has historically been based on herding and agriculture, but mining has become the dominant sector of the economy.Economic Forecast Report

The country's (Mongolia) economy is expanding in different sectors, testifying the need to import overseas manpower (skilled and unskilled) for fulfilling the requirement of workforce in different sectors of the country.

Mongolia possesses major deposits of copper, coal, gold, molybdenum and other minerals, which account for much of the country's industrial output and exports.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990-91 and the end of Soviet aid, Mongolia entered a severe recession during its transition from a planned economy to market economy.

Mongolia joined the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 1997.

From the 2000s onward, rapid expansion of the mining sector drove strong   economic growth.

Bangladesh and Mongolia have expanded bilateral cooperation to facilitate the export of skilled and semi-skilled Bangladeshi manpower.

The MD of BOESL said Mongolia actively seeks workforce collaboration from Bangladesh across several key industries.

Sector insiders said that if Bangladesh sets up its embassy in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, bilateral trade and mutual cooperation and sending more manpower from Bangladesh will be possible.

There are huge manpower demand in construction and infrastructure sectors like builders, engineers, road and highway workers, and railway development personnel, farm workers, agricultural specialists, and livestock support, ready -made Garments (RMG) and textiles in Mongolia.

There are also demands for doctors, nurses, and information technology (IT) or technical engineers in Mongolia.

More than 15 million Bangladeshi workers are currently employed in 176 countries worldwide.

The country has received a record USD 35.56 billion in remittances during the 2025-26 fiscal year, according to data from Bangladesh  Bank.Bangladesh Economic Report

The inflow marks a significant increase from the USD 30.33 billion received in the previous fiscal year, 2024-25.

The strong growth in remittance earnings highlights the continued contribution of Bangladeshi expatriates to the national economy.

talhabinhabib@yahoo.com

Mongolian Ambassador Presents Credentials to King Charles III www.montsame.mn

Munkhjin Batsumber, Ambassador of Mongolia to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, presented his Letters of Credence to King Charles III on October 22.

Ambassador Munkhjin conveyed President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa's greetings to the King and expressed his commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation with the United Kingdom, an important partner in Mongolia's “third neighbor” policy. He highlighted the two countries' shared values, including democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

King Charles III, in turn, conveyed his warm greetings to President Khurelsukh and extended his best wishes to the people of Mongolia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.

Japan Govt Says It Takes Mongolia Wildfire Seriously www.jen.jiji.com

The Japanese government takes seriously a massive grassland fire that broke out earlier this month in a nature reserve in Mongolia, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Monday.
   "We take the extent of the damage seriously. We'd like to express our heartfelt sympathy to the people of Mongolia," Kihara told a press conference.
   The fire erupted while a convoy of vehicles carrying Japanese executives and other officials of Mobicom Corp., a unit of Japanese telecommunications carrier KDDI Corp., was traveling through the protected area in the eastern Mongolian province of Dornod.
   Noting that Mongolian authorities are investigating the cause of the fire, Kihara said that the Japanese government will "cooperate to restore the affected areas."

Mongolia to Consider Seeking Compensation over Grassland Fire www.nippon.com

The Mongolian government plans to consider seeking compensation over a recent large-scale grassland fire in the country after identifying those responsible for the blaze, according to media outlets including the country's national broadcaster.

The plan was shown at a meeting of the Mongolian cabinet. Mongolian Deputy Prime Minister Nyamtaishiryn Nomtoibayar was quoted as saying that words of apology are not enough.

The fire on the grassland including a nature reserve in the eastern Mongolian province of Dornod occurred earlier this month while a convoy of vehicles carrying Japanese executives of Mobicom Corp., a Mongolian unit of Japanese telecommunications carrier KDDI Corp., was traveling across the area.

In a statement released Friday, KDDI offered an apology and said that the company will fully cooperate in Mongolian authorities' investigation into the grassland fire.

Meanwhile, KDDI said the company has confirmed that its employees did not violate Mongolian laws or regulations.

Mongolia’s tax and social insurance burden to be reduced by US$278.3 million next year www.asianews.network

The Parliament’s Standing Committee on State Structure has completed its third review of the 2027 draft state budget and submitted its recommendations to the Standing Committee on Budget.

To protect citizens’ real incomes and purchasing power, the draft budget proposes exempting monthly salary income of up to MNT 792,000 from taxation. It also includes plans to provide social insurance contribution relief for employees of startup businesses. These measures are expected to reduce the combined tax and social insurance contribution burden for more than one million citizens by a total of MNT 1 trillion.

In addition, MNT 887.1 billion has been allocated to increase the salaries of civil servants, including employees in public administration, public services, and special service sectors, starting in the second quarter of 2027. The planned increases are expected to benefit a total of 211,600 public sector employees.

At its meeting on October 21, 2026, the Standing Committee on State Structure also conducted the second reading of a draft law to amend the Fiscal Framework Statement and the budget projections for 2028–2029. The committee decided to forward its opinions and conclusions to the relevant standing committees.

48 brown bears killed www.ubpost.mn

48 brown bears have been killed across Mongolia as part of measures to manage human-bear encounters, with five of the animals killed in cases of necessary self-defense, according to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. Ministry officials provided an update on brown bear sightings and cases after 14 reports of bears entering residential areas were registered within 24 hours between October 19 and 20. One report was recorded in Ulaanbaatar City but turned out to be false, while the remaining 13 cases were reported across seven provinces, including Arkhangai, Bulgan and Uvs.

During the same 24-hour period, four bears that had approached residential areas and households were killed as part of efforts to ensure public safety. Two other bears were driven away from populated areas, while local emergency response teams were still searching for bears in connection with five additional reports. Bear sightings were also recorded at four locations within the Khan Khentii and Ulaan Taiga protected areas and Khan Khukhii Mountain National Park, highlighting the growing need to manage encounters between wildlife and communities.

According to the ministry, a total of 48 brown bears have been killed under measures implemented by local rapid-response teams to regulate bear populations and address safety risks. Of these, 16 were killed in Khuvsgul Province, 10 in Khentii, eight in Selenge, four in Uvs, three in Zavkhan, and two each in Darkhan-Uul and Tuv provinces. One bear was killed in each of Arkhangai and Bulgan provinces, as well as in Ulaanbaatar.

Of the 48 bears, 43 were killed under official permits, while the remaining five were killed in circumstances classified as necessary self-defense. Meanwhile, the ministry’s Department of Natural Resources Policy and Sustainable Use and the State Environmental Inspection Department held an online meeting on October 21 to discuss the management of brown bear populations and the procedures to be followed when bears are killed.

During the meeting, officials emphasized the need to comply with relevant laws and regulations. In cases where bears must be killed, samples should be collected for scientific research, while suitable materials may be preserved for cultural and educational purposes, including museum collections.

The remaining animal parts and organs must be disinfected and disposed of in accordance with the MNS 6406:2013 standard, approved regulations and established procedures. Officials also stressed the importance of documenting the process to ensure that all actions are properly recorded and accounted for. The ministry plans to consolidate the issues raised during the meeting and present them to a cabinet meeting for further consideration.

Personnel receive rescue training for cable car system www.ubpost.mn

Rescue personnel in Ulaanbaatar City have completed initial and refresher training in high-angle rescue operations to strengthen their preparedness for emergencies involving the city’s cable car transportation system, which is currently undergoing trial operations between Artsat in Yarmag and Kharkhorin market.

The training aimed to ensure that emergency responders are prepared to carry out rescue operations in the event of accidents or service disruptions, while improving their technical knowledge and practical skills in working at heights. The sessions were held at the G1 section of the Yarmag-Artsat station, where Mohamed Elsayed Osman, a trainer from French cable transportation company POMA, delivered a combination of theoretical instruction and practical exercises.

21 personnel from the Rescue Unit of the Capital City Emergency Management Department participated in the training. They strengthened their ability to conduct high-angle rescue operations and respond to emergencies involving cable cars. The training forms part of efforts to improve emergency response readiness as Ulaanbaatar’s cable car system continues its trial operations as a public transportation service.

Will Rio Tinto also receive dividends if government receives them? www.ubpost.mn

Last week, a public opinion poll was launched to seek citizens’ views on how dividends from the Oyu Tolgoi project should be used. Citizens can participate in the poll by visiting e-zasag.mn and answering the following three questions: (1) “Is it appropriate for the Government to receive dividends from the Oyu Tolgoi project?”, with the option to select either “Yes” or “No”; (2) “If dividends from the Oyu Tolgoi project are to be used to finance development projects and programmes, which sectors should be prioritised for investment?”, with multiple answers available, including energy; industry; transport and logistics; and social infrastructure such as schools, kindergartens, hospitals, etc.; and (3) “How should dividend income received from the Oyu Tolgoi project be spent?”, for which citizens may select only one of the following answers: (i) to finance major projects and programmes; (ii) to be deposited into a savings fund; or (iii) to be allocated through a savings fund to support citizens’ healthcare, education and housing.

Many have criticised the poll, arguing that its questions are “leading questions”. They contend that, rather than constituting an open and impartial public consultation, the poll appears to have an underlying objective of steering public opinion towards a decision that the Government is already planning to make and obtaining responses that align with its intended position.

Of the three questions, the first has attracted the most attention: “Is it appropriate for the Government to receive dividends from the Oyu Tolgoi project?”

The reason is that, in an announcement made in July this year, the government stated: “We have reached an in-principle agreement to begin receiving dividends from the Oyu Tolgoi project starting this year.” Against this background, asking the public whether it is appropriate for the Government to receive dividends appears contradictory, both in principle and from a logical standpoint.

In fact, whether the Government is entitled to receive dividends, or whether Oyu Tolgoi LLC should distribute dividends, is a matter governed by Articles 46–48 of the Company Law of Mongolia and further regulated by the Shareholders’ Agreement.

Of course, given that the Oyu Tolgoi project involves a strategic mineral deposit, it is essential to take into account Section 6.2 of the Constitution of Mongolia.

The final paragraph of Section 6.2 of the Constitution, as amended on November 14, 2019, states: “...In exploiting mineral deposits of strategic importance, the legal basis shall be established by law to ensure that the majority of the benefits derived therefrom accrue to the people, in accordance with the principle that natural resources are under the authority of the people.”

However, it is important to note that this provision does not directly stipulate that the majority of the benefits must accrue to the people. Rather, it should be understood as imposing an obligation on the State Great Khural of Mongolia to establish, by law, the legal framework necessary to ensure that the majority of the benefits derived from strategic mineral deposits accrue to the people, in accordance with the principle that natural resources are under the authority of the people.

In other words, under this constitutional provision, citizens should not simply demand directly from Oyu Tolgoi LLC that they are entitled to receive the majority of the benefits. Instead, they should call upon Parliament to establish, through legislation, the legal framework necessary to ensure that the majority of such benefits accrue to the people and that the benefits are distributed accordingly.

Furthermore, as noted above, the distribution of dividends by a limited liability company (LLC) is regulated by Articles 46–48 of the Company Law. A company shall distribute dividends when the statutory conditions have been satisfied, including the following: (i) the company must remain solvent after payment of the dividends; (ii) following the payment of dividends, the company's equity must exceed the aggregate amount of its charter capital specified in Article 30.5 of the Company Law, any unpaid dividends on preferred shares, and the liquidation value of such shares; and (iii) the company must have fully repurchased any securities that it is obligated to repurchase.

In addition, Article 15.1 of the Shareholders’ Agreement provides that, in order to distribute dividends to its shareholders, the company (i.e., Oyu Tolgoi LLC) must have profits available for distribution in respect of the relevant Financial Year (e.g., the 2026 Financial Year).

Rather than objectively and reasonably addressing the relevant requirements under Section 6.2 of the Constitution and determining whether the statutory and corporate governance conditions for dividend distribution have been satisfied, the Government is asking citizens whether it is appropriate to receive dividends from the Oyu Tolgoi project. This approach appears to be a form of performative populism, intended more to create an impression of public participation than to facilitate a substantive and informed decision-making process.

Another important issue concerning the potential distribution of dividends by Oyu Tolgoi LLC is the dividend amount of 3 trillion MNT referred to in the Government's public statements.

On October 24, 2026, a press briefing of the decisions made at the Government's regular Cabinet meeting, Minister of Finance Z.Mendsaikhan stated: “The issue being discussed is whether the 3 trillion MNT has been confirmed or not. The Government is proceeding on the assumption that it will receive this amount. We will be the owners of our wealth.”

However, the Government has entirely omitted from its public communications is that, if the Government, as the holder of a 34 percent shareholding in the company, is to receive dividends, the other shareholder, which holds the remaining 66 percent, would likewise be entitled to receive dividends in proportion to its shareholding. In this regard, Section 46.4 of the Company Law of Mongolia provides: “The per share value of dividends with respect to shares of the same class shall be equal in amount.”

If the 34 percent shareholder receives 3 trillion MNT in dividends, the dividends attributable to the 66 percent shareholder, assuming proportional dividend distribution, would amount to approximately 5.82 trillion MNT. Accordingly, if the Government demands payment of 3 trillion MNT in dividends in 2026, it would have little choice but to accept that the 66 percent shareholder is also entitled to receive approximately 5.82 trillion MNT in dividends. It is important to point out that the Government has provided the public with no information whatsoever regarding this significant implication.

During and following the negotiations between the parties in the first half of this year, representatives of Rio Tinto reportedly maintained the above position. They explicitly confirmed this position during a meeting with journalists on September 17. It is also quite evident that the officials representing the Mongolian side are fully aware of this position.

In particular, during a press briefing held on September 17, B.Dulamsuren, Managing Director of Rio Tinto's operations in Mongolia; B.Telmuun, Chief Executive Officer of Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi LLC; and S.Munkhsukh, Chief Executive Officer of Oyu Tolgoi LLC, provided journalists with information regarding the project and the negotiations between the parties. On that occasion, both B.Dulamsuren and S.Munkhsukh explicitly referred to the position maintained by the investor holding the 66 percent shareholding in Oyu Tolgoi LLC: if the Mongolian Government is to receive dividends, Rio Tinto must likewise receive dividends in respect of its shareholding.

On a related note, at the same meeting, representatives of both Rio Tinto and Oyu Tolgoi LLC also made it clear that the amount of dividends to be distributed (e.g., the 3 trillion MNT claimed by the Mongolian Government) had not yet been finally determined, as the current Financial Year had not yet ended. Rather, the figure represented an amount that the Government expected or believed it would receive.

After all, under Section 15.1(a) of the Shareholders’ Agreement, the Board of Directors of Oyu Tolgoi LLC, the majority of whose members represent Rio Tinto, is the body responsible for deciding whether dividends should be distributed.

All in all, while the Government's decision to conduct a public opinion poll may appear commendable as an effort to facilitate public participation in decisions concerning natural resources and the benefits derived from strategic mineral deposits, its approach raises serious concerns.

Rather than addressing the matter within the framework of the Constitution and other applicable legislation, the Government appears to be approaching the issue in an insufficiently objective manner, without providing citizens with complete and material information. Such an approach risks turning what should be a substantive public consultation into an exercise in populism.

As a consequence, citizens may develop an incomplete or distorted understanding of the matter and, based on insufficient or inaccurate information, unjustifiably direct their criticism towards the investor, potentially escalating tensions between the parties. A public consultation of this significance should be based on transparency, accurate disclosure of material information and a proper understanding of the applicable legal framework, rather than on questions that may mislead the public or oversimplify a complex issue.

By B.MYAGMARDORJ

Indonesia Intercepts Mongolian-Flagged Tanker Carrying 1.16 Tonnes Of Ketamine www.marineinsight.com

Indonesian authorities have seized 1.16 tonnes of ketamine from a Mongolian-flagged tanker and another 1.2 tonnes of liquid methamphetamine from a suspected drug laboratory in two operations, police chief Suyudi Ario Seto said on Friday.

The tanker, MT Global 168, was intercepted in waters off North Sumatra earlier this week.

Police and customs officers found the ketamine in 58 sacks and valued the shipment at 3.48 trillion rupiah, or about $192 million, Seto said.

Eight crew members were arrested, while a separate raid on a laboratory in Aceh province led to the arrest of 11 people. Investigators are examining possible links to international drug trafficking networks operating across Southeast Asia.

Indonesian intelligence officers began tracking the tanker in August after receiving information that it might be involved in suspicious activity, Seto told reporters in Medan.

Authorities also detected irregularities in the vessel’s Automatic Identification System (AIS), which transmits a ship’s identity and movement information.

The tanker flew the Mongolian flag but was owned by a company based in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, Seto said.

Police and customs officers intercepted the vessel earlier this week and escorted it to Belawan Port in North Sumatra for inspection. Reports said the ship had been travelling through the Andaman Sea and the Malacca Strait.

According to one account, the tanker had departed from Pasir Gudang in Malaysia and was heading towards the Andaman Sea, where investigators suspect a ship-to-ship transfer took place. Another account said it had been sailing from Thailand through the Andaman Sea before it was intercepted.

Authorities arrested seven Indonesian nationals and one Taiwanese national. Those detained included the captain, engineers and an oiler.

Police have not provided further details about the suspected transfer or identified the people believed to have organised the shipment.

In a separate operation, police raided a clandestine laboratory in Pidie regency, Aceh province, on Wednesday.

Officers seized about 1.2 tonnes of liquid methamphetamine and arrested 11 suspects, including nine Indonesians and two Chinese nationals, Seto said.

The laboratory was operating from two adjoining shophouses in Beureueh Dua village.

Investigators believe the facility was linked to an international drug trafficking network. They are examining possible connections to syndicates in China, Malaysia and Indonesia, as well as criminal groups in Southeast Asia’s Golden Triangle, a region associated with large-scale drug production and trafficking.

Police are tracing the sources of the materials used in the laboratory, the routes used to move the drugs and the financial networks behind both cases. They are also working to identify those who organised the operations.

Seto said the amount of drugs seized showed the threat that international syndicates posed to Indonesia’s national security.

Just over two months ago, authorities intercepted a ship near the Riau Islands carrying 1.3 tonnes of ketamine from Thailand, according to one report.

In a separate case around the same period, Indonesian authorities seized about 2.6 tonnes of liquid methamphetamine from a ship intercepted off Batam island, near Singapore. Ten Myanmar nationals were detained on suspicion of involvement in an international trafficking network.

References: Reuters, abcnews

About Author
Aakriti is a journalist and news writer at Marine Insight, with over three years of experience covering the global shipping and maritime

Expert warns of complex ecological fallout from Mongolia grassland fire linked to Japanese company www.xinhuanet.com

A large grassland fire in Mongolia reportedly linked to activities by a Japanese company's subsidiary may have caused extensive ecological damage, with its broader environmental impact requiring comprehensive assessment, an expert said.

The fire broke out on Oct. 8 in the Numrug Strictly Protected Area in Mongolia's eastern province of Dornod. The flames were extinguished on Oct. 16, according to Mongolian media reports. Japanese telecommunications operator KDDI said on Oct. 20 that the fire was linked to activities by its Mongolian subsidiary Mobicom.

The fire may have affected not only grasslands but also riverbanks, wetlands and other ecosystems, said Wang Qinxue, a researcher at Japan's National Institute for Environmental Studies who has long studied the region's ecological environment.

A comprehensive assessment is needed to determine whether soil conditions can recover alongside vegetation, whether wildlife can safely survive the winter and whether the fire has caused any transboundary environmental pollution, Wang said.

Preliminary data released by Mongolia's Ministry of Environment and Climate Change showed that the fire had burned about 530,000 hectares of land, including approximately 470,000 hectares within the Numrug Strictly Protected Area, accounting for 79.8 percent of the reserve's total area.

Located in eastern Mongolia near the Chinese border, the reserve features a mix of grasslands, forests, rivers and wetlands. It provides habitats for a variety of wildlife and plays an important role in conserving local biodiversity, Wang said.

Even if vegetation regrows the following year, plant species composition and soil conditions may not recover at the same pace, he said.

Assessing damage to forest ecosystems is particularly complex, requiring an examination of tree survival rates, the availability of seed sources and the growth of new seedlings to determine the extent of damage and the potential for recovery, Wang added.

The fire's potential transboundary ecological effects also warrant further investigation. It remains necessary to determine whether ash and sediment could be carried into rivers and wetlands by surface runoff and whether smoke from the fire had crossed national borders through the atmosphere, Wang said.

Citing research on Mongolia's Dornod Province, Wang said fire occurrence from autumn through the following spring was associated with the number of dust storm days in spring.

Reduced vegetation cover after a fire leaves soil more vulnerable to wind erosion and makes surface materials easier to transport by wind, he said.

Wang called for systematic surveys of the burned areas, categorized by ecosystem type, to scientifically assess the actual damage and determine the scope for ecological recovery.