Protect rights of migrant workers: speakers
Training at district level, monitoring and reintegrating returnees are needed to ensure rights of Bangladeshi migrant workers, said experts at a programme yesterday.
Titled "Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers in Destination Countries and their Sustainable Re-Integration", the programme was organised by Warbe Development Foundation.
Imran Ahmad, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee of the ministry of expatriates' welfare and overseas employment, said, "To prepare skilled and trained expatriates, there are 100 technical training centers (TTC) across the country. But 40 are running in name-only. There is no data on how many people are being trained in the 60 that are operational. I'm looking for the data myself.''
"Even after being a minister for five years, there were a lot of things I wanted to do [for migrant workers], but couldn't," he added.
''Our commitment was to set up TTCs in all upazilas. But, in the last five years, I have been able to set up just 50 TTCs. It is my failure,'' said the former minister.
''We have policies, however, there is a lack of implementation. If they were implemented, we will not have to hold seminars on the rights of expatriates,'' said lawmaker Shammi Ahmed.
Lawmaker Pankaj Debnath said although the infrastructure for TTCs is there, shortage of trainings, courses and trainers are the key hurdles.
Stressing on implementation of policies and guidelines, migration expert Asif Munir said, ''Even if the government has good intentions, many things may not be implemented. It is necessary to monitor whether the MoUs and bilateral labour agreements between the home and destination countries are being implemented thoroughly.''
Standard recruit systems are absent in the country. There is a big gap in the recruitment process done by the recruiting agencies. They don't care whether they [candidates] are skilled. Besides, it is not monitored whether all the rights of an expatriate are being protected after reaching the destination country, said Jasiya Khatun, director of Warbe Development Foundation.
Precise re-integration is needed for those who return from abroad or are deported, she added.
Comments