Labour Attaché training: “Migrants are humans too; try your best to assist them”

“Migrant workers are not only instruments of remittance, they are humans too. Try your best to assist and serve them and raise their awareness,” said Foreign Minister Dr. Dipu Moni.

She was speaking at the closing of the 3 day training for the labour attachés based in Bangladesh Missions abroad. IOM and UNIFEM organized this training from 20-22 October, participated by twelve labour attachés based in ten foreign missions.

“We are also aware about the various problems you have, including inadequate number of staff and coordination among different sections in the foreign missions Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment will make all efforts to resolve these issues,” she said.

Topics under discussion at the training included global migration trends against the backdrop of the financial crisis, emerging local challenges in migration management, the protection of migrant workers, their rights and mechanisms of inter-state cooperation.

IOM This is the second such training, following a similar programme organised last year by IOM and is being attended by 13 labour attachés stationed at 12 Bangladeshi missions abroad.

“The labour attaches can play and important role to ensure the welfare and protection of Bangladeshi migrant workers abroad. We also hope that Bangladesh would soon ratify the Migrant Workers Convention, and thereby demonstrate its firm commitment for the protection of the rights of migrant workers,” said Ms. Rabab Fatima, Regional Representative of IOM.

“We need to reduce the stigma, discrimination against women migrant workers, make them more visible and their voices heard,” said Ms. Naheed Ahmed, representative of UNIFEM.

At the conclusion of the training, the labour attachés provided a set of recommendations for all the concerned authorities and agencies. These include – establishing a ‘one stop cell’ to attend to the needs of migrant workers, reduce migration cost, provide modern and relevant training to potential migrants keeping current and future labour market needs, increasing the capacity and technical facilities of Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET), reintegration of migrants upon their return etc. Extra efforts needed to address the needs and problems of women migrant workers – theyt said.

Facilitators and speakers at this training include labour migration experts from IOM HQ and IOM Dhaka, local legal and gender experts, representatives from key government agencies and Bangladesh’s association of recruiting agencies. IOM organised a similar training last year.

For more information please contact Asif Munier or Marufa Akter at IOM Dhaka. Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Tel. +880.2.988.9765