Migrant workers, who fall victim to any untoward situation, face obstacle in getting justice and necessary compensation following lengthy legal procedure, said speakers at a webinar on Thursday.
They said compliant mechanism should be made easy to access for migrant workers. Complaint settlement process should also be faster so that victims can get hassle-free services and legal supports easily.
Rights activists, officials participated in the virtual meeting on ‘Fairer Faster Justice Orientation and Pictorial Training Opening’, organised by Bangladesh Nari Sromik Kendra (BNSK).
Representatives from 71 Technical Training Centres and 46 District Employment and Manpower Offices attended the meeting.
Shirin Lira, IBP manager and social and inclusion advisor at PROKAS of British Council, moderated the programme while Ahmed Munirus Saleheen, secretary to Ministry of Expatriates ’Welfare and Overseas Employment, Gerry Fox, team leader of PROKAS, Sumaiya Islam, executive director, BNSK, and representations from different NGO’s, among others, also spoke.
Mobashshera Akhi, representative of OKUP said they lodged 172 complaints since 2018 on behalf of victim migrant workers at the compliant cell under the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET). Of the total, some 64 complaints have been settled so far.
Some eight migrants lodged complaints through online. Although there is a provision to start the process of settling the cases within 30 days, the workers did not get any response from the department concerned, so far, she mentioned.
Ms Akhi said workers face hassle as recruiting agencies don’t want to be present at the arbitration meeting on time.
She also said such arbitration counts only financial losses. But compensation for social and mental damages is also very crucial for a migrant worker, especially for women.
Sheikh Rumana, representative of Bangladeshi Ovhibashi Mohila Sramik Association (BOMSA), said public hearing by expatriates’ welfare ministry was more helpful in getting legal support than that of arbitration for the migrant workers.
But now it remained closed, Rumana mentioned.
Representative of WARBE development Foundation said workers are not familiar with online compliant process. Publicity campaign is necessary about online complaint platform, she added.
Khaleda Sarkar of BNSK said they are providing supports including legal assistance to the women migrant workers who face workplace exploitation abroad.
