Bdnews24.com, Dhaka
The government will give priority to expatriates in allocating government plots if they send at least US $5,000 every year through official channels, says an adviser.
Those expatriates will also be given special treatment in the airports, hospitals and government schools and colleges, foreign adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury told a gathering marking International Migrant Workers Day. The adviser was set later the same day to open a special desk for expatriates at the arrival lounge of Zia International Airport. “The new Probashi Kalyan (expatriates’ welfare) desk at the airport will assist migrant workers and expatriates with their particular queries,” he said.
The bureau of manpower employment and training under the ministry of expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment will run the desk.
“Expatriates who will send at least US $5,000 annually will be given a card. This card will ensure their preferential treatment at the airport,” Iftekhar, also adviser to the ministry of expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment, said.
“They will be given preference in the allocation of government plots, admission in (government) schools and hospitals,” he told the gathering.
Paying tribute to overseas workers, Iftekhar said Bangladesh did not feel the heat of the current global economic meltdown owing to uninterrupted remittance flows from migrant workers.
“Our expatriates and migrant workers till November this year sent US $8.2 billion as remittances. Last year, it was US $6.56 billion.”
Up to Dec 15, 2008, some 832,000 people left Bangladesh for works overseas this year.
In total, more than 6.2million Bangladesh live and work abroad, with the country’s contribution to global migration standing at over three percent.
According to the figures of the International Organisation for Migration, globally there are over 190 million migrant workers.
The ministry of expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment organised Wednesday’s function at Shishu Academy auditorium to observe the day.
The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers being formulated on Dec 18 in 1990, with Dec 18 being officially recognised by the UN as International Migrant Workers Day in 2000.
The Philippines among other Asian countries were the first to observe the day from 1997, just a year before Bangladesh started marking the day.
Courtesy: nation.ittefaq.com
