Bangladesh will never jeopardise labour market
by irregular migration
Bangladesh to do everything
Dhaka reassures EU over repatriation
of irregular migrants
DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT
Bangladesh has reassured the European Union (EU) of the governments determination to do everything for the repatriation of irregular Bangladeshis living anywhere in the world including in the EU countries. Law Minister Anisul Huq and State Minister for foreign affairs Shahriar Alam gave the assurance during a meeting with European Commissioner for migration, home affairs and citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos at the European Commissions headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday, said a foreign ministry press release forwarded on Thursday. Referring to almost 10 million strong skilled and semi-skilled expatriate Bangladeshi workers, Minister Huq firmly conveyed that Bangladesh always promotes safe, orderly and regular migration. He further informed that under no circumstances Bangladesh would jeopardise its overseas (including EU) labour market through irregular migration.
Commissioner Avramopoulos appreciated Bangladeshs position and emphasised stronger ties with Bangladesh referring to the EUs strategic interest in Bangladesh in the regional context.
He further expressed satisfaction at the regular exchange of views on migration related matters and in that context referred to the first Bangladesh-EU Migration Dialogue (April 2016), followed by the visits of DG Home and Hellenic Police delegations to Bangladesh in March and May 2017 respectively.
Avramopoulos observed that demonstration of strong political will and determination now in solving the issue of irregular Bangladeshis in EU countries would keep the EU door open for future regular migration.
In that context, he informed that in 2016 some 20,000 Bangladeshis got registered/regularised in the EU countries.
The commissioner also mentioned about the EUs readiness to finance projects aimed at skills development and livelihood programme for the returnees.
State Minister Shahriar Alam appreciated the EU offer to arrange programme for better reintegration of repatriated Bangladeshis. He further conveyed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas strong political will and directives for making arrangement to repatriate any irregular Bangladeshi nationals.
Referring to recent surge in migrants from Bangladesh through the Mediterranean channel (Italy / Greece), Huq informed that sustained precarious security situations in Libya is forcing Bangladeshis, who have been living there for long time, to take such difficult and dangerous route to reach European shores. In that context, he noted that the role of unscrupulous
organised international trafficking networks.
Agreeing with the Bangladesh delegations observation, Avramopoulos stressed the need for close collaborative efforts to combat these trans-national organised traffickers and expressed willingness to work closely with Bangladesh in that regard.
The Bangladesh side sought sustained and strong EU support to resolve the Rohingya refugee issue, referring to the gross violation of human rights of the Muslim population of the Northern Rakhine State in Myanmar. Both sides also discussed about the scourge of global terrorism and agreed to work closely to combat terrorism and violent extremism. Minister Huq and State Minister Alam also separately met with member of European parliament Cristian Dan Preda, vice-chair of the European Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights on the same day. The law minister briefed Preda about the significant human rights development as well as law and order situation in Bangladesh since his visit early in 2015. He also conveyed that the government is putting utmost priority in ensuring rights of the people, including women and girls. In the context of labour rights, especially freedom of association, he informed that the draft EPZ Law has been withdrawn from parliament for further review in consultations with all stakeholders. The initiatives were appreciated by the EU. State Minister Alam thanked the EU for extending support for electoral reform in Bangladesh to modernise the election process. The Bangladesh side also briefed about the formation of the new Election Commission, under the guidance of the president, after wide ranging consultations with all stakeholders including opposition parties outside parliament.
