Migration experts have called on the government to sign bilateral agreements with migrant-receiving countries, focusing on greater accountability of employers.
Bilateral agreements play stronger role than the memorandum of understanding (MoU) in bargaining for the rights and benefits of migrant workers, they said at a dialogue on Wednesday.
Bangladesh has bilateral agreements with only two countries, MoUs with 12 countries and a memorandum of cooperation with one country.
The Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment (EWOE) ministry organised the dialogue on 'MoUs/bilateral agreements for Overseas Employment' at its conference room at Probashi Kallyan Bhaban in the city.
Deputy secretary at the EWOE ministry Akhtaruzzaman moderated the programme.
Migration expert Asif Munier said Bangladesh should enter into bilateral agreements with workers' job destination countries to ensure their rights.
Such bilateral agreements are a more handy way of making the employers accountable than MoUs, he observed.
He also suggested taking necessary preparation in consultation with all concerned before signing any agreements.
Anisur Rahman Khan, executive director of IMA Research Foundation, said employers, in most cases, deprive workers of their due rights.
As Bangladesh sends workers mostly under MoUs, the employers show reluctance to give them due benefits, he said.
If the government signed bilateral agreements, employers would be more careful about ensuring the rights of workers, he added.
He also stressed the need to extend all kinds of supports to the women victims and make sure they get justice in their job destination countries.
Hassan Ahamed Chowdhury Kiron, a migration expert and the chairman of the Debate for Democracy, said although the government has set the ceiling of the cost of migration, the recruiters are not complying with it.
He suggested displaying a chart of the migration cost at the offices of recruiting agencies in order to raise awareness among the workers seeking jobs overseas.
Mr Kiron also said workers are paying about Tk 400,000 to secure a job in Saudi Arabia, but they are not getting standard wages at present.
"So, the authorities should remain cautious while sending workers to the Middle East," he added.
Ahmed Munirus Saleheen, additional secretary of employment wing at the EWOE ministry, said migration cost is now one of the debated issues in the migration sector.
Both the migrant-sending and receiving countries will have to be responsible to implement the MoUs, he added.
Aminul Islam, additional secretary of administration and finance wing at the EWOE ministry, said the workers' rights and others benefits should be clearly mentioned in the bilateral agreements and MOUs to protect the rights of migrant workers.
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