Move to reduce sufferings of expatriate workers

Against the backdrop of widespread harassment of migrated workers at the airport, the government has decided to provide red-corner facilities and construct a gang way for them from the airport to nearby train station to reduce their long standing sufferings, reports BSS.
Minister for Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Eng Khandoker Mosharraf Hossain disclosed this while speaking at a Policy Dialogue on “The Global Economic Crisis, Impact on Bangladesh’s Overseas Employment Sector” jointly organised by International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Daily Star at a local hotel.
Mentioning the government’s commitment to ensure welfare of the expatriate workers and protecting their rights, the minister said, the government will construct 34-more training centres across the country involving Taka 567 crore to providing training to non-skilled manpower on different categories.
In these connections, the minister said that a Recruitment Policy would also be formulated paving the way to send skilled Bangladeshi workforce including the women abroad and ensuring their rights and welfare.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Hasan Mahmud, Chairman of the Standing Committee on the Minister of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud, economist Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya and Regional Representative of South Asia of IOM Ms Rabab Fatima also spoke on the occasion.
Editor of the Daily Star Mahfuz Anam moderated the second session where FBCCI President Annisul Haque, Executive Director of Bangladesh Bank Chowdhury Mohidul Haque, Chairman of WARBED Development Foundation Syed Saiful Haque and Joint Secretary of BAIRA Shamim Ahmed Chowdhury took part in the open discussion.
Referring to the existing situation of Bangladeshi workers in different middle- east country, Eng Mosharraf Hossain said, the present government is looking for markets of Bangladeshi labour force in Iraq, Libya, and eastern European countries.
“All efforts are being made to expand job markets for Bangladeshis in new destinations along with the existing one,” he added.
About problems of Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia and KSA, he said, these problems have already been solved and Bangladeshi workers would start going those countries soon.
Mentioning the immense contribution of migrant workers to poverty reduction programme of the government, Anisul Islam Mahmud recommended for giving at least one percent subsidy for remittance sending by the Bangladeshi workers working abroad.
He also recommended for setting up industries, bank and providing collateral free loan for the existing 6.5 million expatriate workers who sent around US $ 9.2 billion in the country in 2008 fiscal.
During the open discussion, the speakers spoke on various problems of the expatriate workers and put forward a number of suggestions to solve the problems.
The recommendations included, provision of bailout package for workers returned for Middle East and Malaysia, launching a complete data base on expatriate workers, monitoring on migration process and increasing budgetary allocation, enacting law to safeguard workers rights, setting up technical and vocational institutions for workers willing to go abroad and setting up a research cell by the ministry of foreign affairs to search new destinations for Bangladeshi workers.
They also emphasised formulating a pro-active legal framework to support the expatiate workers.

Minister praises role of Lions in development of country

Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad Wednesday called upon all irrespective of parties and opinions to work together for further advancement of the country.
“I urge people of all walks of life to work in a concerted manner from their respective positions shunning all differences to further advance the country’s development process,” he said.
“All have the responsibility to build the nation unitedly as it is my country, your country and everybody’s country as well,” Azad added.
The information minister said this while addressing as the chief guest the inaugural session of the 14th Annual District Convention of the Lions Clubs International, District 315 A1, Bangladesh at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel here.
With Lion Md Mobarak Hossain, District Governor of the Lions Clubs International, District 315 A1 in the chair, the function was addressed, among others, by Lion PK Roy, Council Chairperson, Lion Kazi Akramuddin Ahmed, Past Council Chairperson, Lion Jaglul A Mazumdar, Convention Chairperson and Lion Shah Zakir Hossain, Immediate Past District Governor.
Azad called upon the Lions to supplement the government’s efforts to reach the fruits of the independence to doorsteps of the common people by bringing their economic freedom. “The country achieved hard-earned independence under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1971, but it is unfortunate that even after 38 years of the independence economic emancipation of the people of the nation was not ensured”, he said.
The information minister lauded the role of Lions in the development of the country and called upon them to diversify their activities by focusing more on poverty alleviation and education programmes.
He also sought cooperation of the Lions to make success the ‘Vision 2021’ programmes announced by the present government and to turn Bangladesh into a middle-income country by 2021.
He said that the present government under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has already taken up various pragmatic steps for the overall welfare of the people through implementing all election pledges in phases.

‘Over one-tenth cyclone centers in coastal area out of order’

Over one-tenth of total 2,033 cyclone centers in the coastal areas of the country are now unfit for use due to lack of maintenance over the years and officially no ministry or department are entrusted with the responsibility of taking care of the centers, reports BSS.
Against this backdrop, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Food and Disaster Management requested the government to give it the responsibility to look after the centers, said Saidul Huq, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee.
Saidul Huq was addressing a memorial meeting on the Cyclone Marian that hit the coastal areas of Bangladesh on April 29, 1991 leaving a trail of colossal devastation including deaths of over 2.5 lakh people.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Hasan Mahmud attended the meeting as the chief guest jointly organized by non- government organization Coast Trust and 29 April Memorial Council.
Parliament members, political leaders of coastal districts, people’s representatives and representatives of the NGOs working with the disaster management programme in the coastal areas joined the meeting.
Saidul Huq said the government has also taken up a plan to prepare a standard disaster management plan and a draft of the plan has already been prepared.
Dr Hasan Mahmud said Bangladesh is seriously exposed to natural calamities due to climate change as well as unrestrained activities on earth, the lone human lifeboat.
He said a coordinated housing policy is indispensable for the country as every year one percent arable land is being destroyed for housing purpose.

Plan to give khas land to 20 families in each UZ

Speaker Abdul Hamid Advocate on Wednesday said the government has taken up a plan to distribute khas land among 20 families in each upazila by June, reports BSS.
He said the present government has taken the initiative after assuming power for proper distribution of khas lands across the country.
The Speaker was addressing a workshop on ‘Dynamics of Khas Land Management and Settlement in Haor Basin’ jointly organized by the Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC) and the Concern Worldwide, Bangladesh at the LGED auditorium here.
Chairman of Unnayan Shamannay Dr Atiur Rahman, Convener of first Haor Convention Mustafa Jabbar, Charge d’ Affaires of Delegation of the European Commission to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley and Country Director of Concern Worldwide, Bangladesh Kieron Crawley addressed the workshop as the special guests.
Former adviser of the caretaker government Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman presided over the workshop while Dr Abul Hossain presented a keynote paper.
Abdul Hamid said the government has almost finalized the process of new policy on water bodies’ management, where open water bodies (haor) are being kept out of the leasing process.
He said necessary rules are being included in the new policy so that fishermen and fisheries associations, instead of middlemen, get the benefits.
The speaker said fish production in haors is decreasing as water bodies of the region are being filled.
He said, “We should take necessary measures to excavate these water bodies for producing fishes naturally to meet the growing demand of the country.”

DHAKA NOTES