$ 3.5m Swiss support for safe labour migration

5 October 2011, 18:00 PM

Diplomatic Correspondent

Switzerland will provide US$ 3.5 million to support a project aimed at making labour migration more organised and safer, especially for the disadvantaged groups. The project titled "Promoting decent work through improved migration policy and its application in Bangladesh" was inked at the conference hall of Economic Relations Division (ERD) in the city yesterday. Iqbal Mahmood, secretary of ERD, Dr Derek Mueller, head of Cooperation of Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and Andre Bogui, country director of International Labour Organisation (ILO), signed the project document in this regard. According to a press release of Switzerland Embassy in Dhaka, labour migration is currently the main source of income for more than 7 million people in Bangladesh. The particular project will contribute to labour migration related policies and strengthen institutions to support and protect interests of the new and returning migrant workers. An estimated number of 0.5 million migrant workers per year are expected to benefit from this project. The ILO is the main implementing agency of this project. The project will work in close collaboration with the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training of the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment and other relevant ministries, national and international agencies.