The Governments of Bangladesh and Switzerland, along with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), launched a new project on Sunday aimed at the sustainable reintegration of returned migrant workers.
This initiative extends a long-standing partnership and commitment to establishing gender-responsive and inclusive policy frameworks with enhanced systems to ensure that return migrant workers are reintegrated sustainably, continuing to contribute to the country’s growth and development.
Signed in December 2023, the project aims to support the reintegration of returned migrant workers through institutions and an effective coordination mechanism that provides employment and business development support services.
Md Saiful Haque Chowdhury, Additional Secretary for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, stated: “The contribution of the project will be immense and instrumental, significantly helping us develop our capacity and systems for inclusive and sustainable reintegration.”
Md Mazharul Islam, National Program Officer at ILO, outlined the ILO’s technical support for labor migration. Rahnuma Salam Khan, National Project Manager at ILO, presented an overview of the Reintegration for Migrant Workers Project.
Shofiqur Rahman Choudhury, State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, expressed appreciation for ILO and Switzerland’s efforts: “I convey my deepest appreciation towards ILO and Switzerland for creating this umbrella for diverse stakeholders and development partners with the leadership of the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.”
Corinne Henchoz Pignani, Deputy Head of Mission and Head of Cooperation at the Embassy of Switzerland, remarked: “Switzerland has supported Bangladesh in designing the labor migration policy architecture over the last 14 years, and we are pleased with this long-standing partnership.”
Tuomo Poutiainen, Country Director of ILO, emphasized the importance of the project: “The ILO has been a longstanding partner of Bangladesh, working together to achieve sustainable reintegration for migrant workers. I am optimistic that this project will strengthen policy and institutional frameworks for improved governance, provide social protection for migrants, and create a clear pathway for harvesting the skills and experiences of migrant workers, significantly boosting the country’s economy.”
Tanvir Shakil Joy, MP, Chairperson of the Parliamentarians’ Caucus on Migration and Development, highlighted the role of parliamentarians: “As members of parliament, we are bringing the voices of migrants through civil society organizations and grassroots experiences into our national policies. Initiatives like this will guide us towards safe migration and sustainable reintegration.”
Md Ruhul Amin, Secretary for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, noted the project’s emphasis on sustainability: “We have previously worked on diverse interventions on labor migration, including reintegration with technical support from ILO. The uniqueness of this particular project lies in its importance of sustainability.”
Between 2011 and 2022, ILO, in partnership with the Government of Switzerland and supported by the Bangladesh government, strengthened policy and institutional frameworks to improve the governance of labor migration. The new “Reintegration for Migrant Workers Project: Enhancing Policies, Capacities, and Systems for Inclusive and Sustainable Reintegration” will support the development of a policy-based coordination mechanism for migrant reintegration, connect employers’ and workers’ organizations to skills development and employment opportunities, and enhance knowledge sharing on sustainable reintegration to inform programming, policy, and practice.
