Cox’s Bazar held a coordination meeting on safe migration to strengthen migrant rights protection and improve cooperation among government and non-government organizations involved in migration services.
The meeting was organised by the Strengthened and Informative Migration Systems (SIMS) project, implemented by Pratyashi, at a hotel conference room in Cox’s Bazar on Sunday.
Project manager Bashir Ahmed Moni, also known as Sufi Moni, chaired and moderated the event.
Mohammad Daud Hasan, chief district legal aid officer and joint district judge in Cox’s Bazar, attended as the chief guest.
Special guests included Deputy Director of the District Youth Development Department Md Moazzem Hossain; Deputy Director of the District Women’s Affairs Office Subrata Biswas; Deputy Director of the District Islamic Foundation Muhammad Sarwar Akbar; District Education Officer Md Golam Mostafa; Assistant Director of the District Social Services Office Abdul Awal; Police Inspector (Administration) of the Police Bureau of Investigation in Cox’s Bazar Amir Hossain; and Cox’s Bazar Press Club President Mahbubur Rahman, among others.
Daud Hasan said awareness campaigns at school and college levels, document verification services at union and upazila levels, action against fraudulent agencies and coordination among migration training programmes were essential to ensuring safe migration.
“Migrants make an important contribution to our economy. Protecting their rights and helping victims of fraud recover their money require coordinated efforts by legal aid services and relevant institutions,” he said.
The Swiss government and Helvetas Bangladesh are supporting the project.
Special guests outlined the services available to migrant workers and their families through their respective institutions.
They stressed that government agencies, non-governmental organisations and local stakeholders must work together to make migration safer.
Participants also called for fair and transparent contracts between prospective migrant workers and recruiting agencies.
They said verifying information before departure, acquiring appropriate skills and understanding migration procedures could reduce the risks of fraud, high costs and unsafe migration.
Several recommendations emerged from the meeting. These included organising safe migration orientation sessions for imams at the upazila level so they could raise awareness in religious and community settings; making visa and travel document verification services more accessible at union level; encouraging prospective migrants to complete skills-based training before going abroad; and arranging at least one migration awareness class or session every month at schools and colleges.
Particular emphasis was placed on helping young people who had dropped out of education and were preparing to migrate make informed decisions based on accurate information.
Representatives of non-governmental organisations working in Cox’s Bazar, lawyers, journalists and people receiving migration-related services attended the meeting.
During an open discussion, participants shared their experiences, views and recommendations, stressing the need for regular communication and stronger coordination among relevant institutions.
Participants expressed hope that joint efforts, responsible action by service providers, and greater community awareness would create a safer, more supportive environment for prospective migrants, overseas workers, returnees, and their families.
Cox’s Bazar Life Report
Photo: Courtesy
