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interest that was generated in our work emboldened our
RMMRU has created plenty of
success stories by supporting the
migrants and refugees over the
years. How has the organization
been supporting the migrant
workers?
RMMRU has been advocating for the
rights and dignity of labor migrants
of Bangladesh since 1995 by
engaging in research, policy
advocacy,and grassroot mobilization.
When RMMRU started its journey,
there was no involvement of NGOs in
the labor migration issue and the
assumption that the labor migrants
are reasonably well-off and do not
require policy attention was
pervasive. So, people did not pay
much heed to their needs. As this was
an unexplored sector, some of us were
curious to know in detail. We were
appalled with our research results
that demonstrated migrant workers
were facing neglect and disrespect at
every step of the migrant process.
With a band of energetic students of
Dhaka University some of us
continued researching and preparing
policy documents. Our agenda was to
ensure labor migrant’ rights are
protected. Consequently, we started
organizing policy consultations,
seminars and the like. Our
collaboration with political leaders,
members of parliaments, NGOs, and
various influencers and the media
not a homogenous group. There are
initiative. Notably, we always strived to bring the migrants to different categories of returnee
speak for themselves and share their own struggles. In doing migrants. Those who want to engage in
all these, RMMRU made modest contribution in amending the entrepreneurial activities should be
policy with regard to migration of women, in the initial imparted training in financial literacy,
drafting of the Overseas Employment Policy, 2006, the book keeping and provided support in
Overseas Employment and Migration Act 2013, in advocating accessing the market. Without the
for allowing micro-finance institutions to be the last leg of knowledge of effective loan
remittance transfer, in bringing an end to the monopoly over management, starting a new venture
remittance transfer business by a mega company and also for could be risky. Secondly, those who
ratification of 1990 UN Convention on Migrants. We found want to work should be linked to the
good laws and policies do not automatically lead to change. So local labour market and there has to be
we began working for mobilization of migrants at the serious engagement in skill
grassroots to demand services from government institutions development. Thirdly, suitable
and facilitating formation of Migrant’s Rights Protection instruments may be introduced for the
Committees in the rural areas. Our team guided the migrants returnees interested in financial
to take services from government institutions. Eventually in investments. Many returnees suffer
the respective areas government institutions became more from trauma and require psychological
responsive to their needs. This is how RMMRU has been counselling and support. Experience of
supporting the labor migrants of Bangladesh. violence in the destination country
inflicts mental harm on them. Hence, a
We have heard of migrant workers sending a record successful need-based integration
amount of money back to the country. This is of course should be taken into account to fulfill
relieving and praise worthy. How is the government the needs of the different categories of
trying to make the best use of such a surge and what is migrants.
being done in favor of these hard working
countrymen? We are increasingly hearing
There was a surge in the remittance flow but it appears to be reports of returnee Bangladeshi
tapering off now. The government is surely acknowledging the migrant workers from the Gulf
problems and issues that affect labor migrants. It extended a 2 States falling victim to wage theft.
percent incentive to remittances of migrants and it had an Why are Bangladeshi migrant
impact. ProbashiKallyan Bank has loan programmes for workers increasingly facing this
issue? What can be done to ensure
returnee migrants and is considering several programmes for our migrants get appropriately
them. paid when they return home?
However, we must bear in mind that the returnee migrants are The issue of wage theft was always
there. The pandemic situation has
exacerbated this long drawn problem.
Both the countries of origin and the
country of destination had generally
ignored the protection aspects of labor
migrants. The former’s main interest
was remittances. Therefore, protection
was not high on the agenda. The
competition in the labor market among
various labor sending countries is an
aggravating factor. Moreover there is
no coordination and understanding
among labor sending countries about
the minimum wage and other
entitlements of migrant workers. And
so, it has been the buyers’ market.
They are the ones who dictate.
Unfortunately for Bangladesh, it was
even worse due to the unhealthy
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to disseminate its recommendations.
It called on the government to provide
financial grants to the returnee
migrants, members of their families
and also to the families who stopped
receiving remittances and institute
reintegration programmes for them.
Subsequently, it mobilised other civil
society organizations and jointly
appealed to the prime minister for
such support and wrote to the UN
Secretary General demanding his
attention to the plight of the migrants
in receiving countries. It also
conducted a real time policy research
about the immediate and long-term
needs of the returnee migrants and
published several policy briefs. So far,
RMMRU organised ten webinars in its
series titled ‘Build Back Better: Covid
19 and Migration’ that came up with
competition of recruiting agencies. Such competition hiked up concrete policy recommendations. An
the migration cost at a phenomenal rate. After the onset of important achievement of RMMRU
COVID situation, the migrant workers were treated even more was through the intervention of the
dismally in the countries of destination. Their employers High Court it facilitated securing the
summarily terminated their contracts without compensating unconditional release of several
them. People were taken to prisons and deported for minor hundred returnee labour migrants
offences such as not abiding the lockdown provisions. So, all who were wrongfully detained by the
these in a way magnified the problems these migrant workers authorities following their return
normally endured. from the Gulf states, Vietnam and
Our recent study on 1160 returnees noted that on an average, Lebanon for “tarnishing the image
they lost Tk. 1,80,000, in the countries of destination as of” and “hatching conspiracy against
wages and other entitlements. Hence, it is incumbent on the the country”. By generating evidence
government to ensure that the lost wages and other on repatriation and wage theft
entitlements of the workers are recovered. experiences RMMRU is also at the
Our government must take into consideration that the past forefront for demanding justice on
treatment of migrants in the destination countries was not behalf of the victims of wage theft at
right. The workers were not given fair and respectful national and regional levels.
treatment. Sending countries should negotiate from a
position of strength and impress upon destination countries Please tell us how the
that at the end of the day, the latter need labor migrants for contribution of migration can
the development of their countries and thus migrants rights help us in achieving the SDGs.
and dignity should be upheld. Migration is recognized as a major
tool for alleviation of poverty and
What are the challenges faced by RMMRU in the attainment of the SDGs. Remittances
immigration or repatriation process of the migrants play a critical role in migrant
amidst the COVID-19 pandemic?
households’ health (Goal 3) and
It is true no country in the world was prepared for a situation education (Goal 4). The increased
like this. Being a dispensable lot in any crisis situation, short feminisation of international labour
term labour migrants bore the brunt of the pandemic. As has a major bearing for the process of
labour migrants were being forcibly repatriated from various gender equality (Goal 5). Surely a lot
Gulf states, RMMRU tried to capture their experiences and needs to be achieved to ensure decent
highlight their plight through preparing a Situation Report in work (Goal 8) conditions of migrants.
the first week of April, 2020 and organised a press conference Likewise other goals on sustainable
cities (Goal 11) and climate action (Goal 13).are also very
relevant for migration.
Over the years, how much has the scenario of
immigration process of the migrant labor applicants
progressed? How has RMMRU contributed to this
development?
It goes without saying that Bangladesh has made reasonable
progress in this sector, framing national policies and laws,
ratifying international conventions and compact, and setting
up specialised institutions. So labor migration has been an
important agenda of the government.
Despite all these successes, the condition of labor migration is
far from desirable. While a lot of work has been done on
remittance transfer, we cannot claim our labour migrants’
rights are protected and that they are treated with dignity.
This has been a problem both at sending and destination
ends. A big issue is that despite having reasonably decent
policies, laws and ratification of international treaties we
have been unable to enforce and implement those. It is high
time that we acknowledge the reality. Above all, we must pay
heed to the felt needs of the migrants and ensure that they
can voice their concerns.
Over the last 28 years, RMMRU has been engaged in this
sector with research, policy, and grassroot mobilization. It
began as a collective initiative of socially conscious students
and faculty members of Dhaka University and a few from the
legal fraternity. We are proud of our collective achievements
and do believe that together we can make further
contributions in future for this marginalised group. We
envision along with generating new knowledge, we continue
to engage with migrants themselves to bring about policy
change. Not to mention, our firm commitment remains to
uphold their rights and dignity.