Allocate 10% of remittance for migrant workers’ wellbeing in budget: rights group

Grassroots migrant rights organisation 'Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Program' (Okup) today urged the government to allocate 10 percent of the total remittance sent by migrant workers annually for their development, protection and welfare in the 2021-22 national budget.

In a press release, Okup further demanded ensuring allocation of necessary budget in 2021-22 fiscal year to provide monthly allowances to the socially and economically vulnerable returnee migrant workers by including them in the social safety net programme.

Besides, it urged for ensuring allocation of necessary budget to start provident fund for guaranteeing social benefits of the migrant workers for their protection.

The organisation further urged authorities concerned to increase incentives on remittances that the migrant workers are sending from 2 percent to 5 percent.

The role of labour migration and migrant workers in the socio-economic development of Bangladesh is immense, said the organisation, adding about 13 million-strong workforce have been deployed in overseas jobs through the government channel as per Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training.

Of them, 5.9 million Bangladeshis were deployed during the last 10 years of the present government.

At the same time, the remittances sent by migrant workers amounted to Tk 1,081,992.46 crore.

In the Covid-affected fiscal year (2019-20), Bangladeshi migrant workers sent USD 18.21 billion, which was 9.8 times higher than the previous fiscal year, it added.