Increase capacity of labour wings at foreign missions
Labour welfare wings at different foreign missions need to be more friendly and sensitive towards migrant workers while providing services to them, speakers said at a workshop yesterday.
They said besides strengthening the capacity of the existing 29 labour attaches, more such wings have to be established. The experts also called for digitising the services of the labour attaches to reach out to a greater number of migrant workers.
The workshop titled "Migrants Friendly Consular Services" was organised by Warbe Development Foundation in collaboration with International Labour Organisation (ILO) at Probashi Kalyan Bhaban.
"There have been allegations that migrant workers do not get adequate service at the labour welfare wings," said Warbe Chairman Syed Saiful Haque.
"Considering such issues, a set of tools has been incorporated in the manual aiming to ensure better services to migrant workers, '' he added.
Riaz Uddin Khan, an independent consultant on migration, said while migrant workers' contribution is immense in the country's economic progress, it is often heard that they do not get required services from Bangladesh embassies.
"It is necessary for Bangladesh foreign missions and the labour welfare wings to be better equipped to ensure better services for migrant workers," said Laetitia Weibel Roberts, chief technical advisor of ILO Migration Project in Bangladesh.
Farida Yasmeen, director at the multilateral economic affairs wing of foreign ministry, recognised the necessity to increase the capacity of the labour attaches.
"The ministry will soon appoint more labour welfare officials at different wings," said Nasreen Jahan, joint secretary (mission and welfare) of expatriates' welfare ministry.
Nurul Islam, former director of Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training, and trade union leader Abul Hossain also spoke.
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