Majority migrant workers deprived of their rights: Experts

Speakers at a programme said majority of the Bangladeshi migrant workers are deprived of their rights due to lack of sufficient knowledge about safe migration.

They said this at a discussion meeting and research paper presentation program titled "Review of Migration Related Policy Instruments: Perspective of Labour Rights, Human Rights, and Women Right".

The event was jointly organized by the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) and Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) in the capital's The Daily Star centre on Tuesday.

Experts said Middle Eastern countries are the major destinations of migrants from Bangladesh. Many of them do not get satisfactory wages according to their work hours as these countries do not follow the international policies and standards of human rights related to migration.

They also expressed grave concern over the return of Bangladeshi workers after being tortured and demanded formation of a separate cell at Bangladesh embassies for Bangladeshi migrant workers.

The speakers put emphasis on implementing the migration act and ensuring the accountability of recruiting agencies.

The training, decent job and salaries for the migrant workers should be ensured, they opined.

Khadiza Begum, an additional secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, was the chief guest while Israfil Alam MP presided over the event.

Among others, executive director of MJF Shaheen Anam, general secretary of BILS Nazrul Islam Khan, joint secretary Wazedul Islam Khan, deputy director Manirul Islam, and migrants' rights activist Syed Saiful Haque participated at the event.