Bangladesh celebrates the 'International Migrants Day 2018' today (Tuesday) amid substantial fall in overseas jobs and soaring costs of migration.
The day is being observed, as also elsewhere in the world, with a mix of good and bad experiences of the migrant workers.
The theme of this year's event is 'Rights of Migrants - Dignity and Justice.'
President Abdul Hamid is scheduled to inaugurate the event at 12 pm at the city's Bangabandhu International Convention Centre.
A total of 712,342 workers have migrated to different countries from Bangladesh until December 12 of this year, according to the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment (EWOE).
The country sent over 1.0 million workers abroad in 2017, showing a declining trend due to shrinking of job opportunities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), officials said.
Besides, they said, a significant number of women migrant workers returned home from Saudi Arabia this year following workplace exploitation. Still many of them are staying at the Bangladesh mission's safe homes in Riyadh and Jeddah.
Over 1,000 male workers also lost jobs in the KSA and returned home in the last eight months. Bangladeshi workers in other countries like Kuwait, Qatar and Malaysia also facing different kinds of difficulties.
The EWOE ministry announced the event scheduled at a press conference at its conference room at Probashi Kallayn Bhaban while secretary in charge of the ministry Rownaq Jahan explained the causes of sharp fall in overseas jobs.
She said that changes in the global leaderships, economic recessions and reforms in the destination countries are the causes of declining the overseas jobs for Bangladeshis in 2018.
Former EWOE Minister Nurul Islam had announced that at least 1.2 million workers will get jobs abroad in 2018.
Replying to questions, Director General of the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training Salim Reza said that measures were taken to send the workers to several destinations in central Asia, Africa and European countries with lower migration cost.
Though the overseas employment declined, the inflow of remittances would increase this year, he said.
Migration experts said the market diversification is a must to boost overseas employment for the countrymen. They also stressed the need for strong diplomatic initiatives to ensure protection of workers, including women.
Over 12 million Bangladeshi workers went to 168 countries since 1976. Of them, 80 per cent was employed in the Middle Eastern countries including KSA, according to BMET figures.
