Partnership vital to ensure migrants’ wellbeing: speakers

Better partnership at different levels between the labour-receiving and -sending countries should be developed to benefit migrant workers in post-Covid situation, said speakers at a regional consultation yesterday.

Addressing a session, they said Bangladesh needs to raise the issue of partnership in the upcoming Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) Summit as it gives an opportunity to discuss various migration issues among stakeholders.

Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU), Bangladesh Civil Society for Migrants (BCSM), and Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA) jointly organised the online consultation on the themes of the 13th GFMD titled "The Future of Human Mobility: Innovative Partnerships for Sustainable Development and the Post Covid-19 Reality".

The GFMD is a voluntary, inter-governmental, non-binding and informal consultative process open to all state members and observers of the United Nations.

The 13th GFMD Summit will be held in the United Arab Emirates on January 18-26.

Shameem Ahmed Chowdhury Noman, owner of recruiting agency Sadia International, said ensuring responsible and regular migration is not possible without developing a partnership between stakeholders.

Although recruiting agencies act as the main source and make bridge between employer and employee, they alone cannot make the process transparent, he said, addressing the thematic session "Fostering Partnerships to Realise Migration-Related Goals in the Sustainable Development Agenda and Managing the Future of Human Mobility".

"It is the civil society, destination country, the government, private sector and the aspirant migrants -- all have to be partnered," he added.

He said the GFMD platform should be utilised with utmost effort so that the country can establish its demands to protect migrant workers.

Shaheen Anam, executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation, said a big constraint of the country is its weak partnership with the receiving countries.

She said strong agreements should be made to provide Bangladeshi migrant workers' legal protection in the receiving countries.

Besides, partnership with civil societies in the destination countries is also important, she further said.

Anisul Islam Mahmud, chairman of the parliamentary committee on Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry, said Bangladesh needs to raise and discuss the issue of legal protection of its migrant workers during the upcoming GFMD.

Addressing the thematic topic "Discussing Approaches to Address Irregular Migration- What Works?", RMMRU Founding Chair Prof Tasneem Siddiqui said irregular migration prevails since it "helps" certain quarter of different destination and sending countries.

MFA Regional Coordinator William Gois said sending and receiving countries were never been challenged like what the pandemic made them facing. He said host countries like Singapore, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia faced bigger challenges during the pandemic.

Addressing the consultation, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen said Bangladesh has been a frontrunner for safe, regular and orderly migration and that the country always welcomed the processes that lead to welfare of migrants.

"As we consider migration as an integral component of our development framework, we also pioneered the process of global compact for migration," he added.

BCSM Chair and RMMRU Executive Director Prof CR Abrar moderated the consultation.

Kamal Uddin Ahmed, full-time member of National Human Rights Commission; Barrister Shameem Haider Patwary, chair, Bangladesh Parliamentarians' Caucus on Migration and Development; Sumitha Kishna of Our Journey, Malaysia; and Rejimon Kuttappan, migrant rights activist and researcher, India, among others, addressed the consultation.