ERD, IOM sign €1m grant deal to promote safe migration awareness

The Economic Relations Division (ERD) of the Ministry of Finance has signed a €1 million grant agreement with the International Organization for Migration (IOM–UN Migration)  in a bid to promote safe migration awareness.

The deal was made to implement the project titled "CINEMARENA – The Itinerant Programme: Raising Awareness on Regular and Irregular Migration and Promoting Socio-Economic Empowerment in Bangladesh (Phase II)", said a press release.

The 15-month initiative, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy, aims to support the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in strengthening national efforts to ensure safe, orderly, and regular migration.

The project will promote informed migration decisions, expand access to reliable information on legal migration pathways and risks, and create socio-economic opportunities for youth to discourage irregular migration.

The agreement was signed by ERD Secretary Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky and Giuseppe Loprete, chief of mission of IOM Bangladesh, in the presence of senior government officials and representatives from relevant agencies and IOM.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, the ERD secretary said the partnership demonstrates Bangladesh's strong commitment to promoting safe migration through better information, expanded opportunities, and strengthened cooperation with international partners.

He noted that the CINEMARENA Phase II initiative will help counter misinformation, discourage irregular migration, and empower youth and communities with practical economic alternatives.

According to the media release, Bangladesh remains among the countries of origin of migrants arriving irregularly in Italy, often through risky routes, where misinformation, lack of credible information, and the role of informal brokers frequently influence migration decisions.

The new project seeks to address these challenges by promoting accurate information, legal migration options, and local livelihood opportunities, in alignment with the Rome Process Action Plan, the Italy–Bangladesh Memorandum of Understanding signed in May 2025, and relevant EU migration priorities.

CINEMARENA will use innovative outreach methods including film screenings, art, and community dialogue to raise awareness and engage communities.

The programme will be implemented in migration-prone districts across the country, involving schools, families, community leaders, media professionals, and returning migrants. Mobile outreach, media engagement, skills development programmes, and targeted youth entrepreneurship support will also be undertaken to help potential migrants make safer and more informed migration decisions.

IOM Bangladesh reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the project in close collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh, ensuring alignment with national priorities, bilateral cooperation with Italy, and the IOM Strategic Plan 2024-2028.