Quoting a recent study by Drishti Research Centre conducted on 1500 villages across the country, he said about 4.37 lakh Bangladeshi female migrants are working abroad.

The figure included all types of workers who migrated legally and who were trafficked or went abroad otherwise.

Abdul Alim, a member of Bangladesh Association International Recruiting Agency (BAIRA), was speaking while presenting a keynote paper titled 'Female Migration: The Bangladesh Perspective' at a view exchange meeting on 'Safe Migration and Women Worker' at the National Press Club in the city.

Bangladesh Ovibashi Mohila Sramik Association (BOMSA) and Welfare Association of Repatriated Bangladeshi Employees (WARBE) organised the meeting to mark the International Women's Day.

Alim expressed concern over violence on female workers abroad, most of them are victims of trafficking.

He suggested that 'pre-migration preparedness and post-migration management' should to be taken into consideration before sending female workers.

Speaker at the meeting emphasised the ratification of 1990 UN Convention on the Migrant Workers and the specification of national policy of overseas employment for safe migration.

Presiding over the function, Mahmuda Chowdhury underscored the need for proper training of women on manners and disciplines as well as on domestic chores before migration.

She criticised the corruption of recruiting agencies and called for taking steps in this regard.

Speaking as chief guest, Ashfaq Hamid, secretary to the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment, said the overseas employment policy would be tabled soon for specification before the cabinet.

WARBE Chairman Syed Saiful Haque, Nurul Islam Mollah of International Organisation for Migration and Sheikh Romana of BOMSA also spoke.