INTERNATIONAL Organisation for Migration (IOM) said that the most vulnerable returning Bangladeshi migrants will require immediate support to meet their needs for food, shelter, and healthcare. The returnee will require debt mediation assistance, and diversification of livelihoods assistance to build their resilience and sustainable reintegration. Thousands Bangladeshi migrant workers are expected to return home from various labour-receiving countries this year once the countries relax restrictions and airlines resume flights. For many of these migrants, it isn’t a happy homecoming as they have lost their source of income and due to the global recession, it is unlikely that they will be able to return to work abroad until the global labour market recovers from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
IOM in partnership with Brac is focused on assisting vulnerable migrants returnee from the European Union countries and looking to secure additional funding to assist them, particularly those returned from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries where there have been large-scale, sector-wide retrenchments following the decline in oil prices. IOM will provide Covid-19-related information, and counsel on how to cope with the adverse impacts of the pandemic, including mobility restrictions, unemployment, and growing debt.
EU delegation to Bangladesh said the EU stands ready to help governments to address the negative impact of the pandemic in particular with the most vulnerable communities which include migrants. Brac said in this crisis, migrant workers are suffering tremendously, and we need to prioritise our support for them both at home and abroad. The migrant workers years after years supported the economy by their labour without minimum investment by the government, now it’s government turn to pay back them. We know the government is in crisis, like many other nations as the global recession is anticipated to hit the economy sharply by surging unemployment and cancelling export order. However, the government should chalk a contingency plan to support migrant returnees for their livelihood.
