Stronger OIC support sought for migrant workers
The minister called for greater OIC support for migrant workers and skills development in a meeting with OIC Labour Centre Director General Azar Bayramov
ATT Desk Report
Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury held a meeting with OIC Labour Centre Director General Azar Bayramov on the sidelines of the 114th International Labour Conference (ILC).
The meeting was held on Tuesday at the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland, where the minister called for greater OIC support for migrant workers and skills development, reports state news agency BSS.
During the discussion, he highlighted the significant contribution of millions of Bangladeshi workers in OIC member states to the economies of both host and home countries.
He urged the OIC Labour Centre to strengthen efforts to ensure safe working environments, social protection and dignity for migrant workers in OIC countries, stressing the need for more effective mechanisms to safeguard their rights.
The minister said OIC member states could benefit greatly from enhanced cooperation through the exchange of best practices and labour market data.
He also stressed the need for closer coordination among OIC countries to address the growing challenges of a rapidly changing global labour market.
Emphasising youth employment, the minister said skills development, particularly in science, technology and the digital economy, is essential to meet future labour market demands.
He called on the OIC Labour Centre to launch initiatives on technical assistance, job creation and skills development training for both domestic and migrant Bangladeshi workers. He also assured Bangladesh’s full cooperation in training workshops and capacity-building programmes organised by the Centre.
In response, OIC Labour Centre Director General Azar Bayramov thanked Bangladesh for signing the Centre’s statute and called for its early ratification.
He said the Centre would work towards large-scale skills development for Bangladeshi migrant workers in OIC countries, while promoting social protection and safe working environments.
Senior Bangladeshi officials attending the meeting included Labour Secretary Md Abdur Rahman Tarafdar, Ambassador Nahida Sobhan, Additional Secretary Md Humayun Kabir, and Deputy Secretaries Syed Ehtiza Ahsan and Md Shamsul Islam.
