Jobs for returnee female migrant workers sought
The government should formulate a policy to reintegrate into the job market female migrant workers who return home from abroad, said speakers at a discussion yesterday.
Institutional reintegration, instead of individual, will play a more effective role to enable returnee female migrant workers to be engaged in productive and profitable activities in the country, they opined at a national consultation.
With assistance from UN, the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) organised the programme titled “Reintegration of Returnee Woman Migrant Workers†in the capital's Jatiya Mahila Sangstha conference room.
Currently around two lakh Bangladeshi female migrant workers are working in 15 countries across the world, said Sumaiya Islam, director of Bangladesh Obhibashi Mohila Sramik Association.
Naheed Ahmed, national programme manager of UN Women, said it is difficult to bring the returnees under the reintegration programme as the government still does not have any database regarding their specific number.
She urged the government authorities concerned including the BMET to make a database and identify the number of female migrants who have returned home.
Shamsoon Nahar, BMET director general, admitted that they did not have any direct programme to reintegrate migrant workers especially the female but added that the government was working to bring the migrant workers under a database.
As the number of female migrant workers is increasing, it is important to reintegrate them to make them self-reliant, she said.
Md Hazrat Ali, additional secretary at the expatriate's welfare and overseas employment ministry, said the returnees have many opportunities to utilise their savings from abroad after returning home.
They can receive training in different areas and be involved in different activities, he said.
Selima Ahmed, founder president of Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry, among others, also spoke.
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