Govt raises one-time financial aid to Tk 150,000

Migrant workers returning with sickness will now get a one-time financial assistance of Tk 150,000 to meet their immediate medical expenses.
"In order to make immediate medical assistance of injured, sick and physically disabled returned migrant workers more meaningful, the financial assistance has been increased from Tk 100,000 to Tk 150,000," according to a notice recently issued by the Wage Earners' Welfare Board (WEWB).
However, the workers and rights activists said the amount is still insufficient for the ones with serious illness as a significant number of workers returned home with a variety of diseases like cancer, kidney and heart complications.
Meanwhile, WEWB Director (Finance and Welfare) Shoaib Ahmad Khan said the board has also a plan to further increase the amount as it is also thinking that the assistance would not be enough for treatment of a serious patient.
He was speaking at a stakeholders' consultation organised by the board at the Probashi Kallyan Bhaban on Monday. Officials, returned workers and civil society members were present at the meeting.
Mr Khan said the WEWB has also introduced a mandatory insurance scheme for the outbound workers so that the ill-fated ones get benefits in case of death and disabilities.
The maximum benefit of the insurance coverage is Tk 1.0 million.
He said the WEWB would also introduce a medical card styled 'Probashi Card' that would facilitate the workers to get medical services easily at home. And, the board will also open a one-stop services centre for the migrant workers.
The participants, however, said the services needed to be made more dynamic so that the workers do not suffer while receiving services from the WEWB.
They also emphasised on quality migration with better working environment, and standard wages for Bangladeshi outbound workers.

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