Independent British migrant worker rights specialist and advocate Andy Hall has expressed disappointment over his meetings with senior Bangladesh government officials during his latest visit, saying he had expected more meaningful and solutions-oriented discussions on migration governance and the protection of migrant workers.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Hall said he visited Bangladesh from July 1 to 5 with a "hope and a sincere and passionate desire" to contribute constructively to discussions on safe migration, ethical recruitment, migrant workers' rights and the protection of Bangladeshi workers both at home and abroad.
He said one of the key objectives of his visit was to engage with the country's newly elected BNP-led government on migration-related issues. To facilitate meetings with senior officials, he extended his stay until Sunday after initially planning to leave on Friday.
According to Hall, his scheduled meetings on July 5 with Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury and the Prime Minister's Adviser on Migration, Mahdi Amin, were particularly significant. However, as Mahdi Amin was unavailable due to other engagements, Hall instead met Prime Minister's Special Assistant Shakirul Islam.
'Unfortunately, I left those meetings feeling disappointed," Hall said. "I had hoped for a more open, substantive and solutions-oriented discussion. Instead, I felt the meeting did not provide sufficient space for meaningful dialogue or for my experience, concerns and goodwill to be fully heard. There were no commitments from the government side.'
He said the outcome was personally and professionally disappointing, considering his long-standing work on migrant worker protection and the effort made to attend the meetings.
Despite his disappointment, Hall described the overall visit as productive, citing constructive discussions held on July 2, 3 and 4 with recruitment agencies, civil society representatives and migrant worker groups.
'I appreciated the openness of these exchanges and learned a great deal about positive developments in Bangladesh, as well as the continuing challenges faced by migrant workers and their families,' he said.
Hall said his statement was not intended as criticism of any individual or institution, but rather as constructive feedback aimed at strengthening migration governance and worker protection.
Expressing gratitude to everyone who met with him during the visit, Hall said he remains confident in Bangladesh's potential to become a leader in safe migration and ethical recruitment. Although he was leaving with mixed feelings, he said he remained hopeful that future visits would provide opportunities for more constructive, respectful and practical engagement with government authorities.
He also reaffirmed his willingness to continue contributing in good faith to improving the welfare and protection of Bangladeshi migrant workers and their families.
-HIS
