Trade Union leaders and migrant rights campaigners on Saturday called for protection of rights of the millions of Bangladeshi migrant workers who were employed in different countries across the world.
Though migrant workers were contributing to both countries of destinations and origins through their labour, skills and remittances, they were facing various problems at home and abroad, they said.
The speakers made the call while speaking at a national consultation on ‘involvement of trade unions in global compact on safe, orderly and regular migration,’ jointly organised by Solidarity Centre Bangladesh and Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) at the BILS seminar hall in the capital.
BILS adviser and Bangladesh Labour Federation president Shah Mohammad Abu Jafar said over 11 millions of Bangladeshi migrants have gone to work abroad and many of them were forced to work as slaves especially in the Middle Eastern countries.
The migrant workers could not enjoy rights of the workers, he said, adding “we have to raise our voice and also work with international organisations to ensure their rights.”
Dr Lily Gomes, Senior Programme Officer of Solidarity Centre Bangladesh, said trade unions would have to be involved with the Global Compact on Migration to help ensure safe, orderly and regular overseas jobs for the country’s thousands of workers.
The process of global compact has started in April last year and it would be finalised by December of the current year, she said.
BILS advocacy coordinator Nazrul Islam and Socialist Labour Front general secretary Razequzzaman Ratan presented separate papers at the consultation.
BILS joint secretary general Dr Wazedul Islam Khan said all labour rights organisations should open new committee on migrations so that they could properly recommend in the global compact on migration.
“Global compact on migration is very important issue. We have to contribute to the compact by putting our recommendations,” he said.
BILS executive director Syed Sultan Ahmed moderated the consultation which was also addressed by BILS secretary general Nazrul Islam Khan, WARBE Development Foundation Chairman Syed Saiful Haque, BOMSA director Sumaiya Islam Awaj, Foundation director Anisur Rahman Khan and Bangladesh Garments and Industrial Workers Federation president Babul Akhter.
