Overseas jobs sharply shrink for B’deshis
DOT Desk
The International Migrants Day would be celebrated in Bangladesh today in the backdrop of drastic fall in overseas job opportunities for Bangladeshi workers and the cost of migration soaring for them, reports The New Age.
The government took no reintegration programme for the female workers who continue to return home from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the other countries in the Middle East every day as victims of abuse.
This year, the International Migrants Day is being celebrated on the theme ‘Dignity and Justice are Migrants’ Rights.’
But the country’s migrants face harassment, cheating and abuse before and after leaving the country. Bangladesh government officials and Bangladesh civil society organizations said that the Global Compact for Migration adopted in Marrakesh was expected to be adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 19 without any changes. They said that proper implementation of the GCM would reduce problems faced by migrant of Bangladesh abroad, particularly the female workers.
This year, 7.12 lakh workers migrated from Bangladesh, compared to over 10 lakh in 2017, according to Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment ministry.
EWOE minister Nurul Islam had announced at the outset of the current year that at least 12 lakh workers would be sent abroad in 2018.
On the eve of the celebration of the International Migrants Day, EWOE ministry secretary in charge Rownaq Jahan explained the causes for drastic fall in overseas job opportunities for Bangladeshis.
The celebration would be inaugurated by president Abdul Hamid at the Bangabandhu International Convention Centre.
Replying to a question, she said that changes in global leadership, rescission, destination countries adopting policies reserving jobs for their citizens had reduced overseas job opportunities for Bangladeshis in the outgoing year.
She said that steps would be taken to boost overseas job opportunities in the coming year.
EWOE ministry has no plans for the immediate reintegration of the returnee migrants, especially the female domestic workers who continue to return home from the KSA as victims of sexual abuse, torture and without getting arrear wages.
Around 2,000 Bangladeshi workers were deported by the KSA every month since January, said officials.
Bangladeshi workers had to pay the highest migration cost to middlemen.
Replying to questions, Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training director general Salim Reza said that the distressed and sick returnee workers were provided financial assistance by the Wage Earners Welfare Board.
He said that the government took steps to send workers to Japan and South Korea at zero migration costs.
Salim Reza also said that efforts were on to send workers to the countries in Central Asia, Africa and Europe at low migration costs.
Migrant rights activist and WARBE Development Foundation chairman Syed Saiful Haque told New Age that the Global Compact for Migration should be implemented properly to protect the rights of the migrant workers at home, transit and destination countries.
‘The GCM was adopted for protecting migrant workers. We demand its quick implementation on the International Migrants Day,’ he said.
Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Programme chairman Shakirul Islam said that the government should formulate a ‘migration governance framework’ in light of GCM and SDG directives to protect rights of workers and ensure safe migration from Bangladesh.
Rownaq Jahan said that Bangladesh was committed to make the migration policies and rules in light of the 23 objectives of the GCM to ensure safe, orderly and regular migration.
Over 1.20 crore Bangladeshi workers have gone to work in 168 countries since 1976 and 80 per cent of them to the Middle East, according to BMET.
Marking International Migrants Day, Kuala Lumpur based CARAM Asia in statement called for protecting and recognizing migrant workers as partners in development and ensure decent work, decent wage, decent life for them.