The government plans to establish special courts to address harassment and legal complications faced by Bangladeshi expatriates, while providing legal assistance to workers struggling with documentation issues abroad, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman said on Tuesday.
He stressed the need for coordinated action by the government and relevant institutions to help workers regularise their legal status and protect their rights overseas.
The minister made the remarks at the inaugural session of a two-day conference organized by the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) at Hotel InterContinental in Dhaka on Tuesday, marking the organization’s 30th anniversary.
The conference and cultural event, titled Shonar Manush Sammilon 2026, brought together researchers, policymakers, academics and development professionals to discuss forced and voluntary migration, climate change-induced displacement and migrants’ rights.
Addressing the session as chief guest, Asaduzzaman said ensuring the rights, safety and future of Bangladeshi workers abroad was essential. He said the government’s responsibility extended beyond arranging overseas employment to ensuring safe working conditions, decent living standards and dignity for workers.
He noted that many migrant workers did not receive adequate facilities despite their hard work, stressing the need for effective measures to protect their rights and ensure proper working conditions, accommodation and safety.
The minister also called for legal assistance for expatriates facing complications abroad and praised RMMRU’s efforts over the past three decades to address migrants’ rights and develop practical solutions to their problems.
State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Md Nurul Haque Nur, speaking as a special guest, said 11 sectors had been prioritised to address expatriates’ longstanding problems and provide them with special facilities.
He said the government was working across these sectors to protect expatriates’ honour and dignity.
Nur said an expatriate card was being introduced, with pilot programs underway in Jordan, South Korea and several Middle Eastern countries.
The proposed card is expected to simplify financial transactions and facilitate access to services from government and private institutions. It could also help preserve expatriates’ basic information, improve access to services at Bangladeshi embassies abroad and enable them to obtain services from different institutions after returning home.
The government was also considering special facilities for expatriates seeking medical treatment at public and private hospitals, he said.
The state minister said initiatives were being taken to provide faster services to expatriates facing land-related problems after returning to Bangladesh. Discussions were underway with relevant stakeholders on providing services or remedies within a specified timeframe, particularly within seven days.
He also said the government was considering measures to strengthen Probashi Kallyan Bank and expand its loan facilities. The bank currently provides loans ranging from Tk300,000 to Tk1 million to expatriates.
According to Nur, plans were being considered to make loans more accessible to returning expatriates who want to start businesses, launch new ventures or build houses.
Former RMMRU executive director and former education adviser Dr C R Abrar said long-term planning, sustained activities and adequate financial allocations were necessary to advance the migration sector. He said the sector could no longer operate on the limited scale seen in the past.
RMMRU Deputy Executive Director Motasim Billah and Director (Program) Marina Sultana delivered the welcome address at the inaugural ceremony, while Abrar outlined the background and objectives of the conference.
Charge d’Affaires of the Swiss Embassy in Dhaka Dipak Elmer also spoke as a special guest. Professor Neil Adger of the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom delivered a goodwill address.
Sessions focus on climate change, labour migration
The first day featured separate sessions on climate change-induced human movement, internal migrants’ livelihood crises, labour migration, human trafficking and remittances. Researchers and experts discussed experiences from Bangladesh and other countries, research findings and emerging challenges.
Professor Neil Adger of the University of Exeter discussed human mobility and displacement in the context of climate change, including potential trends over the next decade.
Dr Dilip Ratha, chief executive officer of Ratha Global and a former lead economist at the World Bank, discussed the prospects and challenges facing migration and remittance flows over the next decade.
Professor Dr Mashfikus Saleheen of the Institute of Water and Flood Management at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) chaired a session on climate change and migration.
An afternoon session examined climate-induced migration and labour migration, focusing on the uncertain living conditions, crises and welfare of people displaced within their own countries because of climate change. Participants also discussed new research and its potential to challenge conventional perceptions of migration.
The session was moderated by Dr Mark Tebboth, an associate professor at the University of East Anglia. Researchers and experts presented perspectives from India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.
Another session examined changing circumstances surrounding labour migration and human trafficking. It was moderated by Dr Ishita Shruti, head of the Migration Policy and Sustainable Development Unit at the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Bangladesh office.
The panellists included Dr Amina Maharjan of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Dr Mohammad Jalal Uddin Sikder, associate professor at North South University, and Shariful Islam, associate director of BRAC.
Initiatives to protect migrants’ rights highlighted
RMMRU presented the activities of its Young Researchers’ Forum, Migrants’ Rights Protection Committee, Complaints Management Committee and Adaptation Rights Committee as part of its efforts to protect migrants’ rights.
The session was moderated by Shashanka Sadee, an Eisenhower Fellow and executive in the development and humanitarian assistance sectors. Researchers and development professionals discussed changing circumstances surrounding labour migration and human trafficking.
A documentary highlighting RMMRU’s 30 years of activities was screened, and the electronic edition of a commemorative publication was launched.
According to the organization, RMMRU has conducted more than 100 research studies over the past three decades, contributed to the formulation of 13 national policies and strategies, and provided rights-based services to migrants in 21 districts across the country.
Representatives of civil society, academia, research institutions, cultural organisations, international and local development organizations, the media development organization Samashti and media outlets attended the conference.
The discussions highlighted the importance of drawing on research and practical experience to develop future action plans for protecting migrants’ rights and improving migration management.