29/04/2021
Bangladeshi returnee migrant workers call for government help to retrieve their unpaid wages — Freedom Collaborative
Global Forum for Responsible Recruitment
earlier this month. In the case of
Bangladesh, among other countries, the
middlemen who act as recruitment agents
remain anonymous, which makes it
extremely difficult to ensure they are held
accountable for any offences they commit.
Since 2001, the Refugee and Migratory
Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) of the
University of Dhaka has been advocating
for the regularization of middlemen to
ensure a transparent and accountable
recruitment process. Over the past few
months there have been some positive
developments, with a parliamentary
standing committee strongly
recommending that procedures for
regularization are set up; the Prime
Minister giving instructions for the
issuance of identity cards to middlemen;
and the ministry announcing the creation
of a committee to bring middlemen within
legal frameworks. The parliamentary
Caucus on Migration and Development has
also called for regularization.
Campaigners have asked that the
responsibilities and liabilities of recruiting
agencies also be clarified, particularly
regarding their relationship with
middlemen. RMMRU has suggested three
opportunities for the registration of
middlemen: with BMET (the Bureau of
Manpower, Employment and Training), with
the Bangladesh Association of
International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA),
and with individual recruitment agencies.
The matter requires detailed deliberation
among migration stakeholders, including
government, the private sector, NGOs,
intermediaries and migrant workers.
Here’s a round-up of other noteworthy
news and initiatives:
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On 12 May,
I agree.
of webinars that explore the vulnerabilities
faced by populations experiencing
trafficking at disproportionate rates and
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