BMET Server Restored After Four-Day Shutdown, PDO Certificate Access Resumes
The database server of the Bureau of Manpower, Employment, and Training (BMET) was offline for nearly four days, causing significant disruptions for aspiring migrant workers attempting to obtain their Pre-Departure Orientation (PDO) certificates. The outage, which began due to a lack of backup during substation maintenance and a failed network switch replacement, was resolved late Tuesday night, June 23.
From Wednesday, June 24, applicants were once again able to access BMET’s website to apply for training and download PDO certificates upon course completion.
Hundreds of candidates across the country, who completed their training and examinations last Thursday, faced uncertainty and delays in obtaining their certificates. Many encountered issues when trying to download the certificates online, only to find the BMET server unresponsive. Even visits to local BMET district offices yielded no definitive answers, according to complaints received by DigiBanglaTech.
Zahid Hasan (name changed for privacy), a trainee from Chhagalnaiya in Feni, recounted his ordeal: “After finishing the training on Thursday, I was told at the BMET office that I could collect the PDO certificate from any computer shop later that evening. But the server was down, and I couldn’t download it.”
He added, “I’ve been waiting for days now. Without the certificate, I can’t proceed with anything else. When I went to the BMET district office on Monday, they couldn't tell me when the site would be fixed. They just said I’d get the certificate when the site is back online. But how long must we wait in this uncertainty?”
Zahid was part of a group of at least 100 trainees, none of whom had received their certificates by then.
Similar frustrations were echoed by Hasan Ali, younger brother of Sohel Mia from Shariatpur. Sohel said, “My brother completed his training, but he didn’t get the certificate. A few of his peers received theirs, but since Thursday evening no one else has been able to access it.”
He continued, “Hasan is sitting idle now, distressed. His visa is ready, but without the certificate, he can’t book his flight. No one seems to be listening to his concerns, and there’s no clear answer on when the system will be fixed.”
The situation sparked a wave of complaints on social media, with many voicing their grievances. Under normal circumstances, trainees receive their PDO certificates on the same day they complete their training.
When contacted by DigiBangla, BMET Director Engineer Md. Akram Ali assured, “As soon as the server resumes operation, certificates will be available as usual.” He promised that the issue would be resolved by June 24—and indeed, the server was reactivated after 8:00 PM that night. The following morning, several relieved applicants called DigiBangla reporters to express their gratitude.
Asked why the server went offline in the first place, BMET Instructor Md. Saiful Islam Mamun explained, “The server shut down due to the lack of power backup during substation maintenance. On Sunday, while trying to restart the system, we discovered the network switch was damaged. Consequently, the server remained down through Monday. After repairs, we restored the system on Tuesday.”
He added, “Precautionary measures are now being taken to ensure that the server remains operational 24/7 moving forward.”
