Public-private coordinated efforts for returnee migrants’ reintegration

The country's public and private sector organisations have promised to work in a coordinated way for the reintegration of the returnee migrant workers.

To this end, they have signed a promissory note at a programme titled "Public Private Partnership Sector for reintegration in Bangladesh" at a hotel in the capital city on Wednesday.   

Around 5 lakh Bangladeshi have returned home amid Covid-19 pandemic, most of them have lost their jobs permanently in destinations.

The Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment and International Centre for Migration Policy Development (Icmpd) jointly organised the programme.

At the programme, Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment affairs Minister Imran Ahmed said, "Many workers have been forced to return during Covid-19. However, more than 10 lakh workers will go abroad by June this fiscal. We have already sent eight lakh workers."

"It will never be possible for us to get together if we work separately. That's why this public-private partnership scheme was started. By working together, we can do something for the returnee migrant workers," he said.

The minister thanked Icmpd, European Return and Reintegration Network (Errin) as well as donor agency European Union for taking initiative for the Public-Private Sector Partnership for Reintegration for first ever in Bangladesh for reintegrating returnee migrant workers.

ICMPD Silk Routes region head Sedef Dearing said Bangladeshi migrant workers are returning. This has happened because of Corona. Now the rate of return has decreased but many migrant workers have faced a very difficult situation.

"Their first expectation is economic reintegration. This is possible only when they can be offered job opportunities or they will be facilitated with micro-credits. This public-private partnership will play a role in giving migrant workers that opportunity," Sedef Dearing said.