In her intensified move to save the country's migrant workers from possible deception and harassment, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday asked the authorities concerned to gear up the monitoring system to lessen their woes. She also pleaded for carrying out massive awareness campaign at the grassroots to make people aware about what to follow while processing papers, reports BSS. "We have to make the monitoring system further stronger and carry out countrywide awareness campaign among grassroots people to make an end to the sufferings of migration aspirants," the prime minister said while addressing the maiden meeting of the National Steering Committee on Migration held at the Prime Minister Office.
Sheikh Hasina highly appreciated the role of the migrants in making a significant contribution to strengthen the country's economy, sending remittances. She said, "There is an urgent need to cast a special watch on migrant workers and it is our duty to look after their security and welfare because they are the citizens of our country." Around one crore Bangladeshi expatriates are now working in around 100 countries. The prime minister said the remittances sent by them are largely contributing to poverty reduction and foreign exchange reserve.
Sheikh Hasina asked the authorities concerned to prepare a database of migrant workers detailing their whereabouts and work status abroad. She laid stress on imparting appropriate training on required jobs and languages to overseas job seekers. "We can open discussion with the particular countries to arrange training programmes jointly for the betterment of the migrant workers and the countries they are staying," she added.
