The Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) under the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment set up an English Language Lab at their Dhaka Training Centre in 2002 with the support of IOM. Since then IOM has been involved in developing English language training programmes in other parts of the South Asian region offering language training to migrants preparing to migrate overseas for employment. The need was felt that the materials and training used to conduct the English language training in Dhaka should be reviewed and upgraded to better reflect the migration experience and assess its usefulness to this group of overseas migrant workers and their employers.
Under the project IOM Dhaka aimed to:
- Conduct a preliminary needs assessment of the current English language programme offered by the BMET to Bangladeshi nationals preparing to migrate overseas by identifying the areas to be upgraded and improved;
- Develop improved and standardised BMET curricula for language training;
- Set up a new English Language Lab at one divisional city to run with the upgraded/ improved English language training materials/modules;
- Capacity of English Language Training Laboratory enhanced in Dhaka and Chittagong;
- Increased capacity of BMET officials to conduct the training and better means to deliver it;
- Increased level of English language skills among Bangladeshi migrant workers and they are better prepared to take on the challenge of travelling and working abroad