Experts in migration sector have called for urgent collaborative efforts to safeguard the rights and well-being of returnee migrants and addressing the sufferings of the workers abroad.
They urged the government authorities and Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) to ensure welfare of migrant workers at home and abroad.
They made the request at a dialogue titled Dialogue with BAIRA for Ensuring Fair and Ethical Recruitment, Return, and Reintegration held in the BAIRA Conference Room at BAIRA Bhaban in Dhaka on Sunday.
The Parliamentarians Caucus on Migration and Development organised the dialogue in association with the WARBE Development Foundation, which is acting as the Secretariat of Parliamentarians Caucus, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and Switzerland supported the event.
Recognizing the persistent challenges faced by Bangladeshi migrants throughout their migration journey and upon their return home, the Parliamentarians Caucus on Migration and Development stressed the urgent need for collaborative efforts to safeguard the rights and well-being of returnee migrants.
The dialogue provided a platform for stakeholders to address these challenges and work for solutions, according to a press release.
The dialogue centered on several key objectives, such as mainstreaming the migration issue into national policy mechanisms, facilitating the recruitment process to ensure a fair and ethical approach to labor migration, ensuring the proper utilization of remittances, and fostering inclusive discussions to address critical migration issues.
Furthermore, the event aimed to shape labor rights policies aimed at protecting migrant workers, enhancing skills development programs for potential and returning migrants, and outlining the dos and don s of BAIRA.
Speaking as the chief guest, Deputy Leader to the Opposition Anisul Islam Mahmud, also adviser of the Parliamentarians Caucus, commented, "Due to remittances, our countrys economy does not fluctuate significantly in a negative direction. The fact that 40 per cent of our workforce migrates abroad every year contributes to the economic stability of our nation."
Moderator of the event former MP Shameem Haider Patwary, also Vice Chairman of the Parliamentarians Caucus, stated that the caucus not only supports migrant workers but also the principles of BAIRA.
He emphasised that while addressing the sufferings of our workers abroad, BAIRA must facilitate the welfare of migrant workers.
In his speech, valiant freedom fighter Ali Haider Chowdhury, Secretary General of BAIRA, stated, "Our workers have contributed to reducing the persistent economic inequalities between villages and the cities."
The dialogue with BAIRA represented a crucial step towards addressing the challenges faced by Bangladeshi migrants and to ensure their fair and ethical treatment throughout their migration process.
It underscored the commitment of all the stakeholders to ensure well-being and economic empowerment of migrants and their families.
"We should prioritise reintegration, drawing from the experiences of those who have migrated to foreign countries. Those who have successfully implemented reintegration mechanisms have reaped the benefits of labour migration. Therefore, we should educate labourers about reintegration before they embark on migration, ensuring that reintegration remains sustainable," stated Rehnuma Salam Khan, National Programme Manager at the International Labour Organization.
Syed Saiful Haque, Chairman of WARBE Development Foundation, advocated for the adoption of several measures, including fostering collaboration between Caucus and BAIRA, establishing a Task Force, reducing migration costs, ensuring employers pay model, implementing monitoring mechanisms by BAIRA in destination countries, and establishing a special welfare fund for migrants.
Following his remarks, the participants emphasized the need for effective collaboration between the caucus and BAIRA to create a platform for conveying the voices of BAIRA to parliament and taking necessary actions accordingly.
Former MP, Ahsan Adelur Rahmannt in his presentation introduced to the Caucus, an outline activities and policies of BAIRA.
Among others, Nouman Chowdhury, Vice Chairman of BAIRA, Pankaj Debnath, MP, an executive member of the Caucus, and lroma Dutta,MP, Vice President of the Caucus, shared their perspectives.
"Those of us involved in facilitating legal employment of migrant workers want to ensure that we do not face any charges related to human trafficking," said Tipu Sultan, Joint Secretary of BAIRA.
"The challenges that BAIRA encounters in its operations hinder its ability to work like other labour-sending countries in the region. Therefore, everyone should support and empathise with BAIRAs work," said Ruhul Amin Shawpon, former Secretary-General of BAIRA.
