Effective diplomacy a must: Speakers
Speakers at a discussion yesterday stressed the need for an effective diplomatic role in creating more opportunities for migrant workers in overseas job market to help boost the country's economy.
Inter-ministerial coordination is a prerequisite to address the migrant workers' rights as it is a multi-sectoral issue. The government also needs to implement bilateral agreements and initiatives taken under international forums and platforms, they said.
Migrant workers are deprived of due rights because of inadequate diplomatic negotiations. They also have to pay additional money at home as migration cost, speakers said.
Creating new overseas job markets is also a big challenge, they added.
Debate for Democracy (DFD) arranged the discussion on “Migration Diplomacy: Success, Limitation, and Way-forward” at The Daily Star Centre in the capital.
Reading out a keynote paper, DFD Chairman Hasan Ahmed Chowdhury said opportunity for new job markets was created in Russia, China and Hong Kong due to a successful diplomatic role. Bangladesh has also initiated labour attachés in several countries over the years.
However, a limitation in successful negotiation has been apparent as those officials lack adequate diplomatic skills, he said. Also, migration cost is high in Bangladesh than that in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and the Philippines.
Although Bangladeshis are working in 161 countries, labour attachés have been initiated in 29 countries, which made it difficult to deal with workers' problems.
M Humayun Kabir, former Bangladesh ambassador to the US, said alongside developing working skills, Bangladeshi workers need to develop communication skills. It will help enhance their performances in overseas jobs.
Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Nurul Islam said Bangladesh's labour market is limited to a few countries and the ministry is working to expand the market, especially in Europe.
“We will take prompt action if we receive any complaint or allegation related to taking additional money as migration cost,” he added.
Stressing the need for workers' skill development, Salim Reza, director general of Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), said suggestions generated during the discussion would help the organisation take new policies.
Md Nurul Islam, BMET director (training operation), said conducting research for creating a new job market is required because many countries are yet to know about the availability of Bangladeshi labour force.
Prof KM Mohsin, vice-chancellor of Dhaka International University, also spoke.
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