Data are available on how many migrant workers go abroad with jobs, but hardly any facts and figures are found about returnee workers who acquire skills and experience abroad.
The views came at the inaugural function of a job fair, organised jointly by Bangladesh Employers' Federation (BEF) and Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS).
The first ever fair was organised Sunday in the city to help employers and returned migrants build direct contact, while also finding the ways of integrating skills of returned migrants into the country's job market.
At the fair, some 20 employers representing construction, real-estate, ceramic and other sectors collected curriculum vitae of the returnees to assess their potential for absorption into the local employment market.
Around 300 job seekers attended the fair and dropped CV with the assistance of BILS and non-governmental organisations to prepare vitae in printed format.
The employers, which attended the fair, included APEX, Square Group, Abdul Monem Ltd, ACI Limited, Protect Builders Ltd, British American Tobacco, Bangladesh Association of Construction Industry, Rangs, Mirpur/Khadim Ceramic and Desh Garments.
Addressing the inaugural function of the fair, ILO country director Srinivas B. Reddy expressed the hope that this kind of fair will bridge the gap between job seekers and employers, helping the both to identify talent.
He, however, laid importance on institutionalising the intervention so that local labour market can get supply of labour while workers can acquire skill through safe migration.
"Safe migration along with safe return is important for the benefit of both sending and receiving countries," the ILO country director said.
The function was also addressed among others by BEF Vice President Sabrina Islam, former BEF president and ILO governor body member Kamran T Rahman, BILS secretary Wasedul Islam, Abdul Mukit Khan of NCCWE and President of Sramik League Shukkur Mahmud.
Sabrina Islam said though more than 150,000 skilled, semi- skilled workers went abroad at the end of April, there are no data on returnees, who come back after ending contract or other reasons.
But she said as employers always look for high productivity workers, they face problem to get right people due to lack of system to integrate the returnee workers.
Kamran Rahman said due to lack of data on how many migrant workers return home, skill of the returnees could not be assessed and they could not be integrated into the local labour market.
Integration is important for the benefit of the local industry, he added.
He also laid stress on matching the skills of overseas migrant workers with those of local workers for the betterment of the industry.
Talking to the FE, Subrina Sultana, representative of Square Group, said with 23 concerns, her company always needs different technical, mechanical jobs and added that this kind of fair will help them build a pool to meet the need.
Kazi Sharafat Hossain, of Abdul Momen Ltd, said his group often faces problem in getting appropriate technical and mechanical persons for its 19 different units including construction workers, plumber, technicians, and machine operators. This fair will help identify the people with right skills.
smunima@yahoo.com
