Demand grows louder for pointing expat welfare officer in upazilas

Bridging the gap between manpower recruiters and jobseekers could rid the latter of exploitative middlemen interference, immigration experts suggested Saturday as one of the remedial steps.
They also demanded that the government appoint expatriate- welfare officer in every upazila office to assist overseas jobseekers in getting necessary information about the procedure of availing overseas job.
Such suggestions came at BAIRA's first monthly forum meeting on 'Ensuring Safe Migration: Role of BAIRA', organized by BAIRA and International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Executive director of Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) CR Abrar said, "Following a gap between aspirants and manpower recruiters, middlemen are taking advantage in the name of cooperation."
He also noted that although the government planned through database system that middle interferences would be reduced significantly, the result was yet invisible.
Mr. Abrar, however, said there are irregularities like visa trading in the manpower-receiving countries.
But, as sending country, Bangladesh doesn't raise the issues in international forums.
"We feel shy to raise such issues in the global forums," he told the meet.   
Secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Khondaker Showkat Hossain highlighted short-term, mid-term and long-term action plans to ensure safe migration.
BAIRA senior vice-president and convener of the monthly forum Ali Haider Chowdhury presented the keynote paper, portraying the entire spectrum of present affairs in manpower export-considered a vital sector for earning foreign exchanges for the country.
He put emphasis on demand-based skills training to help enhancement of employment opportunities abroad.
"The demands for skilled manpower like caregiver, diploma nurses, catering services are high on the overseas job market," he mentioned.     
He also sought a detailed database of aspirants to make easier the migration process.   
IOM mission chief to Dhaka Sarat Das, BAIRA president Mohammad Abul Bashar and secretary-general Monsur Ahmed Kalam were among others present at the meeting.

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