The migration issue

Mahmudur Rahman | Published: August 28, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

Demographic studies have long been suggesting that the negative population growth in Europe would require new thought on how the continent was to progress. It needs people, especially in the fast deserted smaller villages where the left-behind ageing population was stagnating growth. And while the fury over migration rages a new phenomena has emerged. Boat people, truck people name it what one would, the fact is that more and more people are resorting to risks of unprecedented nature to find a semblance of economic freedom, nay survival.
From the days of guarded borders to open ones, a blessing of economic integration, the tables have turned. Governments will now have to re-examine border security in an attempt to prevent thousands of illegal immigrants that are finding their way too easily into European countries. Few countries officially decry migration that is forced by persecution. But in an era of economic woes, more and more questions are being asked, especially by land-locked countries of how these migrants are being allowed to pass through others.
Hungary is one country that is already temporarily hosting more than 150000 illegal migrants. These are coming mostly from Afghanistan and Syria but it wasn't too long ago that terrible ordeals of others, even from Bangladesh trying their luck by sea and road to enter Europe. While this is on one hand a result of the overt and covert military adventurism resulting in chaos in some countries, it us just as much about economic disparity not being handled appropriately and on time.
It would appear that beyond humanitarian aid and poverty alleviation a middle group are being left out. And the UN Humanitarian aid chief is now on record as saying some
money's must be made available to dissuade the vulnerable group from mass migration. Mohammad (not his real name) is a Syrian engineer who was Operations Head of an oil company but had to flee to avoid army drafting. Having obtained asylum in the US he has just moved from being a suit salesman to a car salesman.
Migration is not looked on well anywhere save the US which is a melting pot. And even there questions are being asked with Donald Trump making it his clear election agenda much to Republican chagrin, at least publicly. The UK Independent Party (UKIP) is against migration from Europe or anywhere. Australia's image suffered damage after insensible treatment of boat people. India has long had a lot of beef over immigrants from Bangladesh to the effect that Narendra Modi had said he would be saying goodbye to these illegals after his election win. He hasn't said much since then on the matter.
But in both Modi and Trump's case it would seem the platform is one that finds resonance among voters.
Bangladesh has been plagued by the recent incidents of people fleeing by sea and then land to Myanmar and Thailand, some allured by false job prospects. The government is now trying to identify the bad eggs responsible but as migration experts would say cutting off one's head to treat a headache is not a solution. If anything, the economic conditions that force people into taking such inhuman risks are where the focus has to be. More embarrassing is that such appalling migration should take place in a middle income country.
Along with decentralising of governance, industrial decentralisation needs to happen. If more job opportunities are created in rural areas people would find lesser reasons to migrate, thereby reducing the pressure and burden on cities. Sops to encourage citizens to stay in the rural and semi-urban areas might serve more in terms of protecting environment with lesser housing requirements gobbling up cultivable land.
The worst thing that could happen is for disillusionment to set in thereby creating law and order issues to rise. That then attacks the fragile social fabric.
(The writer may be reached at mahmudrahman@gmail.com)