Fortune-seekers rescued from Sri Lankan coast

We are relieved at the news that some poor lives who embarked on a misadventure were saved from a sinking vessel on the eastern coast of Sri Lanka. The question must be asked, however, as to under what circumstances people feel compelled to take such desperate measures to move out of the country, oblivious to the risks involved.
This incident comes as an eye opener -- to the sheer scale of people who remain unemployed in our country and to the human trafficking that is occurring as a result and the groups who exploit a manifestly gullible group.
Currently, there are over 60 lakh Bangladeshi migrant workers abroad. Migration and the resulting remittance has been a boon for the nation, earning a record amount of 14 billion USD and exporting the second highest number of workers last year. But, while we are caught up in a self-congratulatory mode, we must note and address the drawbacks of the process which puts the lives of thousands at risk as well as tarnishes our image. Already, Kuwait has stopped recruiting from Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia has reduced the numbers due to malpractices in recruitment. Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) also found the labour migration sector to top the list in corruption rates last year.
Human trafficking cannot be tolerated and the state-level legal process of migration, too, must be strengthened, such as in the training of unskilled labour. There must be a comprehensive and constantly updated database of the unemployed and underemployed in our country as well as of our migrant workers abroad to enable us to keep track of who and where they are and in what conditions. There is also need for a consultation window for the former so that they may be properly advised with regard to migration prospects and dissuaded from misadventure. Given the importance of migration and remittance to our country and the all too common stories of risk and misfortune, the issue must be addressed with due seriousness.