Prottasha

Bangladesh Sustainable Reintegration and Improved Migration Governance

A lack of job opportunities in the country, poor local awareness of safe migration, centralized migration processes, and high cost of migration are all contributing factors to high numbers of migrants choosing dangerous, irregular migration channels.  To ensure ‘Safe Migration’ and more sustainable reintegration experiences for Bangladeshi migrants returning from Europe and other destinations or transit countries, it is necessary to identify gaps in the state and private migration processes and strengthen the mechanisms to ensure that migrants receive efficient, reliable and accessible migration services. In addition, potential migrants and their communities need a better understanding of the processes and strategies of safe migration. Particularly, understanding the risks of migrating through irregular channels, the benefits of using regular channels and the mechanisms is important to ensure positive and beneficial migration experiences.

Likewise, limited services, a lack of cohesive policy and a limited community understanding of the needs of returning migrants limits the capacity of many returning migrants to sustainably reintegrate into Bangladeshi society. To more sustainably reintegrate returnees, it is critical to develop policy and provide services targeting the social, psycho-social and economic needs of returning migrants. Additionally, migrants, their families, and communities require a stronger understanding of those needs, and the barriers returnees face during the reintegration process.

As part of the European Union's regional support addressing the sustainable reintegration of migrants returning to IOM Bangladesh in partnership with BRAC is providing immediate needs assistance provided after arrival and sustainable reintegration support for a targetted 3,000 returning migrants. This support is being provided in the returnees’ home district and based on tailored planning of social and economic reintegration, psychosocial support, economic reintegration support including referral to economic reintegration services.

Secondly, a series of interventions are being implemented with the objective of improving access to safe migration opportunities for Bangladeshi men and women. This will be achieved primarily through institutional strengthening and policy support targeting the relevant ministries, including Ministry of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (MoLGRD) as well as private sector organisations such as the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agents (BAIRA).

Additionally, the project is also conducting a comprehensive awareness-raising and behavior change and communication campaign aimed at increasing awareness, and changing attitudes and practices around irregular migration, safe migration, reintegration and remittance usage.

Please have a look at an impact story of Prottasha Project: Jewel Khandeker- A New Beginning

Get in touch: DhakaProttasha@iom.int

Document: Prottasha Brochure

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