Youth must be placed at the centre of Bangladesh's migration governance to build safer and more resilient mobility systems, speakers observed at a national dialogue in Dhaka on Thursday.
They noted that young people already constitute a major share of global migrants and that their perspectives are critical for designing safer migration pathways, strengthening protection mechanisms and adapting to fast-changing global labour and mobility trends.
With around 1.8 billion youth worldwide, international forums increasingly recognise them as indispensable partners in shaping inclusive migration policies.
The dialogue - titled "Youth and Migration: Voice, Vision and Action" - was organised by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with the government of Bangladesh and with support from the European Union (EU).
The event brought together youth leaders, policymakers, academics and migration experts to explore how young people can drive a more sustainable and future-ready migration framework.
Held ahead of International Migrants Day 2025, to be observed under the theme "My Great Story: Cultures and Development," the discussion underscored the need to integrate youth voices into national migration narratives, particularly in policy formulation, advocacy and community leadership.
Two panel sessions explored avenues for greater youth inclusion in migration governance and highlighted their contributions to national development through innovation, leadership and social engagement.
Speakers also stressed the importance of leveraging youth-driven cultural initiatives to promote safe migration, labour market resilience and empowerment of young migrants.
Participants included representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the EU, youth-led organisations, UN agencies, academia and the UN Youth Advisory Group (YAG).
Key speakers at the event were Lance Bonneau, Chief of Mission, IOM Bangladesh; Sadman Sakib, Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Habibullah Tamim, Senior Manager, BYLC; Rahnuma Salam Khan, National Programme Manager, ILO; and Kamrul Kibria Ayon, Senior Manager for Resource Mobilisation and Grants Management, JAAGO Foundation.
The dialogue also launched a series of youth-focused initiatives, including a forthcoming Youth and Migration Plan and a nationwide awareness campaign aimed at improving young people's access to accurate migration information and amplifying the contributions of youth migrants.
Aligned with the UN's Youth 2030 strategy, IOM noted that meaningful youth engagement enhances innovation, strengthens social cohesion and ensures migration systems remain inclusive, accountable and responsive to emerging global dynamics.
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