Bangladesh became a member state of IOM on the 27th of November 1990, following IOM assistance to Bangladeshis during the Persian Gulf crisis when IOM repatriated about 63,000 migrant workers to Bangladesh. Subsequently, on the 2nd of February 1998, a Cooperation Agreement was signed between IOM and the Government of Bangladesh and subsequently the Regional Office for South Asia was established in Dhaka. Following the set-up of the office, seven study/research projects were commissioned in Bangladesh; two on counter - trafficking issues and five on migration issues. Based on the research findings of the studies, IOM Dhaka Office identified its policy, strategy and operational plan in various areas of migration management in Bangladesh.

IOM Dhaka is actively engaged in regional policy formulation activities as well. As a member of the Regional Action Forum on Safe Migration, IOM Dhaka has been working with the South Asia Regional Initiative/Equity (SARI/Q) Project on various initiatives such as developing the Policy for Ensuring Safe Labour Migration within and beyond South Asia.

The office also ensures the participation of government to the various Regional Consultative Processes in the region such as the Ministerial Consultations on Overseas Employment and Contractual Labour for Countries of Origin in Asia (or Colombo Process), Bali Process, and Berne Initiative.