Labour migration experts at a dialogue expressed concern over the high migration cost for the Bangladeshi migrants.
Highlighting the pressing challenges in Bangladesh’s labour migration system, Tasneem Siddiqui, Founding Chair of RMMRU, questioned why it remains flawed despite having numerous policies and regulations.
Referring to the White Paper she said “The collusion of interest among the political regime, private sector, section of top bureaucracy, has compromised the principles of good governance.”
The WARBE Development Foundation, in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and supported by Switzerland, recently hosted a "Dialogue with the Labour Reform Commission for Pragmatic Reform in Labour Migration" at the Department of Labour’s Head Office.
The event has brought together members of the Labour Reform Commission, civil society organisations, trade unions, private sector representatives, and migrant workers to discuss key reforms in labour migration governance.
She further noted the 4–5 times higher migration costs in Bangladesh, than in Nepal, India, and Pakistan, and significant financial losses during migration which they can’t recover.
Another key panelist Rahnuma Salam Khan, National Project Manager from ILO emphasized the need to reform the Migration Act and Trade Union Act to ensure migrant rights and safety.
She asked, "If migrants in other countries can have trade unions, why not ours?"
Rahnuma Salam Khan noted the dependency on intermediaries on both sides of the recruitment process.
She pointed out that high visa trading costs in Bangladesh significantly inflate overall recruitment expenses for the country’s migrants.
Rahnuma Salam further points out the ineffectiveness of TTC training, the lack of negotiation from the end of Bangladesh about migrants' rights and protection, and the bank's role in this flawed migrant system.
During further reflection moderated by Syed Saiful Haque, Associate Director of Migration Programme and Youth Platform, BRAC, Shariful Islam Hassan, shared his views on migrants' suffering in both sending and destination countries.
He said, “When we ask the migrants why they seek help from brokers, we should think whether they have any legal way to go abroad.”
BILS Executive Council member and BJSD Women Committee General Secretary Nasrin Akter Dina highlights the vulnerability of female migrants.
She said, “The law enacted for the protection of female migrant workers doesn’t ensure their safe migration to the host country.”
Bangladesh Employers’ Federation joint secretary-general Asif Ayub points out the lack of accountability of the ministries.
“Whenever the issue of migrants arises, the persons in charge never step forward to take responsibilities, they always pass on the responsibilities to someone else. BMET officials are not even aware of their mandate of apprenticeship registration," he added.
ILO National Programme Officer Mazharul Islam moderated the open floor discussion by welcoming valuable recommendations from the panelists.
Trade unionists, female returnee migrants, and labour union members stressed the need for the legalisation of migration units of CSOs, facilitation of migration representatives to counter the corrupted bureaucracy, finding the reason behind migrants pursuing less-dignified jobs, properly structured reintegration programme for the returnee migrants and ensuring accountability and transparency.
IMA Research Foundation member Anisur Rahman seeks recognition of migrant workers, not integrated into other CSOs, to raise their voices properly.
He also pointed out the hindrance of returnee migrants to join any trade union as it requires being employed in the home country and most of the returnee migrants don’t get hired after coming back.
Labour Rights Commission member Shakil Akhter Chowdhury summarised the key takeaways from the discussion.
She said, “We have to find out a secondary source for foreign currency apart from migration."
In his closing remarks, Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmmed, Chair of the Labour Reform Commission, urged stakeholders to advocate for achievable recommendations at the national level.