The Greek Parliament recently approved an agreement signed between Bangladesh and Greece to pave the way for recruiting 4,000 agriculture-based workers annually. It will also help regularise nearly 18,000 Bangladeshis staying in the southeast European country. With this Parliamentary approval, the process of implementation of the legal framework is expected to start soon. The safe migration to the European country will bring a ray of hope to the desperate fortune seekers.
In February 2022, Greece and Bangladesh signed a deal for Greece to employ 4,000 Bangladeshi workers annually. Bangladesh’s Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmad and Greek Migration Minister Notis Mitarakis signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Dhaka. Under the deal, Bangladeshi workers will be provided a 5-year temporary work permit and seasonal workers will be hired in the agricultural sector. As per the deal, the two countries have decided to expand the agreement as needed, potentially adding sectors and workers to the deal. Workers will have to leave Greece after the five-year period ends. They will be able to travel there with the employers bearing the expenses after the recruiting process is completed in Bangladesh.
Bangladeshi workers used to confront problems with human trafficking and rights violations in the past and this deal aims to facilitate a safe process for workers to come to Greece without infringing on their rights.
International Organisation for Migration (IOM} data showed 4,510 undocumented Bangladeshi nationals arrived in Europe by sea and by land in 2020, and entered Italy, Malta, Spain or Greece. In the same year, 8,844 Bangladeshi Europe-bound migrants were tracked while passing through the Western Balkan countries. In view of the economic and political challenges of Bangladesh, it is highly unlikely that the desire to pursue the international dream will diminish among many Bangladeshis at any time.
We reiterate that Bangladesh must immediately generate enough employment, encourage entrepreneurship by easing business, and safe migration to stop risky exodus to Europe.
