Ensure social protection of migrant workers: Seminar
The government must strengthen labour wings at destination countries to ensure social protection for migrant workers, said speakers at a programme yesterday.
As the migration sector has emerged as a source of employment opportunities abroad for millions of Bangladeshis, their rights cannot be ignored, they added.
Simultaneously, the skill development for the migrant jobseekers must be reinforced, the speakers said at a national consultation on “Social Protection and Migration,” organised by Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) with the help of International Labour Organization at a conference hall of Dhaka University.
Four discussants presented separate policy briefs on labour demand, supply and migration and poverty trends.
ASM Ali Ashraf, associate professor of international relations department at DU, said the labour wings are hugely understaffed and thus the migrants are being deprived of getting proper protection.
Conflicts between expatriates' welfare and foreign ministries on the recruitment of the labour wing officials are also hampering the protection mechanism for the migrants, he observed.
“Pro-active role of the diplomats can protect migrant workers at destination countries. So, inter-ministerial coordination must be ensured for the sake of the migrants' social protection,” Ashraf said.
RMMRU Executive Committee Member SN Azad said the government and stakeholders can play a vital role in better management of the migration sector.
RMMRU Founder Chair Prof Tasneem Siddiqui moderated the programme while DU teachers Sayema Haque Bidisha and Kamrul Islam also spoke.
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