“Bodies of 14,798 workers have been brought back from Jan 1, 2009 to May this year,” Khandker Mosharraf Hossain told parliament on Sunday during a question-answer session.

So far families of 2,386 victims have been paid Tk 1.5 billion as compensations, he said in reply to a query from Chittagong-4 MP Didarul Islam.

In 2013, 1, 048 workers died all over the world in various accidents, the minister said.

The government filed cases seeking compensation in labour courts through Bangladesh embassies or high commissions in keeping with laws in host countries, he said.

Last year, about Tk 430 million was realised as damages on behalf of 212 dead workers and about Tk 219 million was handed over to their families, Mosharraf said.

Responding to a question from Pinu Khan, an MP from reserved women’s seat, the minister said at present there are 16 wings dedicated to handle labour issues in Bangladesh missions abroad.

Twelve more wings have opened recently and the government is considering opening of another 11 in other missions, he said.

Eighty percent of Bangladeshis working abroad are based in the Middle East, the minister said while replying to a query from Chittagong-11 MP M Abdul Latif.

So far, 8,887,111 workers have gone to different foreign countries through legal means, he said.