IOM and the World Bank this week co-hosted a consultation workshop
in Dhaka on improving social and economic protection for
Bangladeshi migrant workers.

Over 250,000 Bangladeshis migrate every year to find jobs abroad
and in 2006 the figure rose to over 350,000. Many use irregular
channels such as middlemen and extended family networks to find
employment, notably in the Gulf States.

The process is haphazard and migrants often encounter challenges
including fraud and deception by recruiters before they leave, and
sometimes intimidation, physical abuse and sexual exploitation by
employers when they arrive in host countries.

Their long-term livelihood prospects can also be limited. Many
go into debt to pay for migration, manage to save very little and
have limited options for work when they return to Bangladesh.

The workshop, which was funded by the Japanese Social
Development Fund (JSDF), brought together representatives from the
Bangladeshi Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas
Employment and the Bureau of Employment, Manpower and Training,
civil society partners, NGOs, migrant associations and
academia.

Participants identified information, training and resources to
assist migrants prior to and during migration, and after their
return to Bangladesh. They also discussed strategies to address
migration issues and developed a shared action plan.

The workshop will form the basis for a possible pilot project to
test different intervention measures. Project components could
include pre-departure training, orientation and information
campaigns for Bangladeshi migrants.

For further information, please contact:

Aiko Kikkawa

IOM Dhaka

Tel. +880 2 881.46.04

E-mail: "mailto:akikkawa@iom.int">akikkawa@iom.int