UNB, Dhaka :
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said steps need to be taken against those who try to go abroad illegally risking their lives apart from of the middlemen as they are tarnishing the country’s image abroad.
“Measurers should be taken against those trying to go abroad illegally alongside the middlemen as they’re denting the country’s image,” she said.
The Prime Minister said this at a meeting with officials of the Labour and Employment Ministry at the Secretariat during her visit to it.
She said these illegal migrants are putting their lives at risk. “I think steps need to be taken against them so that this illegal migration comes to an end.”
The Prime Minister’s came up with the concern as hundreds of Rohingyas and some Bangladeshis have landed in overcrowded boats on the shores of various Southeast Asian countries on their sea voyage to Malaysia as human smugglers abandoned their boats because of crackdowns by authorities.
Referring to growing illegal migration through sea routes, Sheikh Hasina said these people have no idea where they are actually heading towards. “Now their bodies are found in forests,” she bemoaned.
The Prime Minister said the Labour and Employment Ministry should take an initiative for publishing the negative sides of such illegal migration. “There’s no need to go illegally by giving money to the middlemen because they’re ultimately get trapped,” she said.
Briefly describing the various initiatives taken by her government for the welfare of migrants and expatriates, she said it is painful that some people are stepping towards an uncertain journey. “Why’re they going…it’s not correct all are doing this because of poverty…it seems they’re running after the golden deer, they think huge money is there abroad…this is a sort mental sickness.”
Hasina said, they can do something to earn their livelihood in the country with the money these people are giving to the middlemen. “They could’ve led a comfortable life and engaged in better jobs here,” she said suggesting steps initiatives so that people will not go abroad illegally.
Chaired by State Minister of Labour and Employment Ministry Mujibul Haque Chunnu, the meeting was attended by senior officials of the Ministry.
The Prime Minister said that the government has been able to regularise the status of 6.5 lakh illegal Bangladeshi workers in
Malaysia while over 8 lakh in Saudi Arabia through fruitful discussions with their respective governments.
Terming the Awami League government as a labour-friendly one, Sheikh Hasina said her government is determined to ensure the welfare of the working class and 29 labour welfare centres in the country’s industrial zones are providing services to this end.
The Prime Minister narrated steps of the Awami League-led governments on Labour Act and Labour Policy, and said the Bangabandhu government had framed the Labour Policy in 1972 to establish an exploitation-free society and formed Labour Directorate in 1974.
In continuation of the steps, the government made the Labour Act-2006 more time-befitting one through amending it in July 2013 protecting the interests of the working class, she told the meeting.
Hasina said, the National Labour Policy 2012 and the National Professional Health and Safety Policy, 2013 have been formulated by her government to industrialise the country, ensure compliance and sustain in competitive external trade and commerce.
She mentioned that the National Industrial Health and Security Council has been formed for the first time in Bangladesh history with Labour and Employment Affairs Minister as its Chairman. The Prime Minister said the Child Labour Policy 2010 has been formulated fixing 38 types of works as risk-prone ones for children as these are harmful in consideration of child health, security and morality.
Stressing the need for enhancing training programmes to develop skilled manpower, the Prime Minister said steps will have to be taken to impart training on language, works and law of the country where the workers want to go.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said steps need to be taken against those who try to go abroad illegally risking their lives apart from of the middlemen as they are tarnishing the country’s image abroad.
“Measurers should be taken against those trying to go abroad illegally alongside the middlemen as they’re denting the country’s image,” she said.
The Prime Minister said this at a meeting with officials of the Labour and Employment Ministry at the Secretariat during her visit to it.
She said these illegal migrants are putting their lives at risk. “I think steps need to be taken against them so that this illegal migration comes to an end.”
The Prime Minister’s came up with the concern as hundreds of Rohingyas and some Bangladeshis have landed in overcrowded boats on the shores of various Southeast Asian countries on their sea voyage to Malaysia as human smugglers abandoned their boats because of crackdowns by authorities.
Referring to growing illegal migration through sea routes, Sheikh Hasina said these people have no idea where they are actually heading towards. “Now their bodies are found in forests,” she bemoaned.
The Prime Minister said the Labour and Employment Ministry should take an initiative for publishing the negative sides of such illegal migration. “There’s no need to go illegally by giving money to the middlemen because they’re ultimately get trapped,” she said.
Briefly describing the various initiatives taken by her government for the welfare of migrants and expatriates, she said it is painful that some people are stepping towards an uncertain journey. “Why’re they going…it’s not correct all are doing this because of poverty…it seems they’re running after the golden deer, they think huge money is there abroad…this is a sort mental sickness.”
Hasina said, they can do something to earn their livelihood in the country with the money these people are giving to the middlemen. “They could’ve led a comfortable life and engaged in better jobs here,” she said suggesting steps initiatives so that people will not go abroad illegally.
Chaired by State Minister of Labour and Employment Ministry Mujibul Haque Chunnu, the meeting was attended by senior officials of the Ministry.
The Prime Minister said that the government has been able to regularise the status of 6.5 lakh illegal Bangladeshi workers in
Malaysia while over 8 lakh in Saudi Arabia through fruitful discussions with their respective governments.
Terming the Awami League government as a labour-friendly one, Sheikh Hasina said her government is determined to ensure the welfare of the working class and 29 labour welfare centres in the country’s industrial zones are providing services to this end.
The Prime Minister narrated steps of the Awami League-led governments on Labour Act and Labour Policy, and said the Bangabandhu government had framed the Labour Policy in 1972 to establish an exploitation-free society and formed Labour Directorate in 1974.
In continuation of the steps, the government made the Labour Act-2006 more time-befitting one through amending it in July 2013 protecting the interests of the working class, she told the meeting.
Hasina said, the National Labour Policy 2012 and the National Professional Health and Safety Policy, 2013 have been formulated by her government to industrialise the country, ensure compliance and sustain in competitive external trade and commerce.
She mentioned that the National Industrial Health and Security Council has been formed for the first time in Bangladesh history with Labour and Employment Affairs Minister as its Chairman. The Prime Minister said the Child Labour Policy 2010 has been formulated fixing 38 types of works as risk-prone ones for children as these are harmful in consideration of child health, security and morality.
Stressing the need for enhancing training programmes to develop skilled manpower, the Prime Minister said steps will have to be taken to impart training on language, works and law of the country where the workers want to go.
