The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The women migration from Bangladesh has increased by five per cent since 2001 and at the moment 90,000 women of this country are working abroad.

This was stated by Md Nurul Islam, Director, Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) while spelling out the Bangladesh Overseas Employment policy at a dialogue in the capital yesterday. The WARBE Development Foundation organised the dialogue at BIAM Auditorium yesterday. WARBE Development Foundation Chairman Syed Saiful Haque chaired the dialogue.

Bangladesh is seeking new markets for exporting manpower from the country, a senior official of Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) yesterday informed.

"We (Bangladesh) have already signed memorandum with six countries included UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Libya," BMET Director Md Nurul Islam informed a dialogue while he read out Bangladesh Overseas Employment Policy (BOEP). He pointed out that the government has been trying its best to ensure the rights of the Bangladeshi women now working in different countries of the world.

BMET Director General Md Abdul Malek said, "Bangladesh has several laws to ensure the rights of migrant workers. But none of the laws was implemented properly."

"For ensuring the rights of the women migrant workers, both the public and private organisations should come forward to disseminate information on migration policy," he said.

The government realised Tk 10 crore from the several recruiting agencies as a fine for their malpractice, he said adding that the government distributed the received money among the victims.

Speakers at the dialogue said the cheating of the migrant workers before they leave the country.

Ignorance of legal procedures compelled many migrant workers to remit their income to their home through illegal channels.

Md Rashed-Al-Hasan, BRAC Director Sheefa Hafiza, MJF Director Rina Roy, among others, addressed the dialogue.