The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Bangladesh signed an agreement in the city Saturday for cooperation in skill development of the migrant workers.
FBCCI Secretary General Mir Shahabuddin Mohammad and IOM Bangladesh Chief of Mission Sarat Dash signed the deal on behalf of their respective side.
FBCCI President Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, First Vice-President Monowara Hakim Ali, Vice- President Md Helal Uddin, and directors Md. Anwar Sadat Sarkar and Md. Kohinoor Islam, among others, were present.
The FBCCI president expressed sincere thanks and gratitude to the IOM delegation for signing the cooperation accord with FBCCI. He sought IOM's cooperation in developing skilled migrant workers.
He said this agreement will create opportunity to work together and undertake various joint projects in the areas relating to IOM's competence, such as - labour migration, counter-trafficking activities, technical assistance, post-conflict demobilisation and rehabilitation, poverty reduction, promotion of economic growth and support for human development.
There are also immense scopes for FBCCI and IOM to collaborate in relief and rehabilitation programmes as well as in ensuring the rights of migrant workers in different countries, he added.
The IOM Bangladesh chief of mission briefed about the activities of IOM and highlighted the partnership between FBCCI and IOM.
He stressed on the need for exchanging information on best practices, in-kind support, and direct financial contribution in the projects for migrants and trafficking survivors.
Mr Sarat Dash mentioned that IOM can also develop innovative projects engaging the Bangladeshi diasporas, with whom both FBCCI and IOM may already have some links.
"Both the organisations can work together to develop emergency response and rehabilitation strategy for migrants in crisis while working abroad."
He thanked FBCCI for the interest in migrants in its strategic and policy interventions.
Monowara Hakim Ali congratulated IOM for their laudable initiative of signing the cooperation agreement with FBCCI.
She proposed IOM to set up a technical institution for providing non-formal education to unemployed youth and adult to develop their skills, so that they can be sent aboard to earn remittance.
