Speakers at a programme yesterday called upon the government to formulate a long-term plan for the safety of Bangladeshi migrant workers overseas as well as the wellbeing of their families at home.
Although the remittance earned by the migrant workers has significant contribution to the country's economy, little has been done to ensure that they are not abused or harassed at the country's airports or at their workplaces abroad, they observed.
Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) organised the programme titled “Obhibashon o Sonar Manush Sammilan 2018” at Bangabandhu International Conference Center in the capital.
Migrant workers and their family members from across the country also attended the event.
RMMRU awarded different stakeholders -- including migrant workers, their family members, sub-agents, recruiting agencies, and government officers and institutions -- for their contribution to the sector.
RMMRU Founding Chairperson Prof Tasneem Siddiqui during her speech proposed that the government should declare years 2020 to 2029 as “migration decade”. And also, it should adopt a long term plan for upto 2030 for curbing irregularities in the sector, worker harassment and the exorbitant cost of migration.
“We have to make sure that the migrant workers are getting the benefits of their migration and not used as a tool for development,” she added.
The chief guest of the morning session, Hossain Zillur Rahman, former adviser to a caretaker government, said the sector has flourished for the risk-taking poor workers and measures need to be taken to ensure their dignity when they come home.
Planning Commission Member and Senior Secretary Shamsul Alam said when preparing a national plan for the sector, the commission will try to incorporate RMMRU's recommendations placed at the programme.
The chief guest of the closing session, Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Nurul Islam, said his ministry is working to ensure a safe, regular and systematic approach for aspiring migrant workers.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam, the guest of honour, said the government has been working to introduce a birth registration process for non-resident Bangladeshis.
A debate session, between two student teams from Jahangirnagar University and Dhaka University, was also held in the afternoon. The former came out as the winner.
Jane Edmondson, head of DFID Bangladesh, among others, spoke.
