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A new joint coalition of trade unions and civil society was launched on Monday to ensure rights, dignity, safety and welfare of the country’s migrant workers.
The coalition, namely Trade Union-Civil Society Action Alliance (TUCSAA), is expected to re-integrate and strengthen further the demands for the rights and welfare of migrant workers, organizers said at an event held at the National Press Club in the city.
The TUCSAA, in partnership with International Labour Organization supported by Switzerland embassy in Dhaka, organized the launching event.
The proposal for the alliance was made at a two-day skills development workshop held on June 25.
Speaking at the inauguration, TUCSAA Convening Committee member Naimul Ahsan Jewel said the alliance is a joint initiative of both trade unions and CSOs with the primary goal of identifying the overall problems of migrant workers and putting emphasis on skill development.
He noted that Bangladeshi female migrant workers earn only 14 cents per hour, while workers in India or Nepal earn up to 42 cents per hour.
The Alliance Convener Shakil Akhter Chowdhury highlighted the living standards, realities and problems of Bangladeshi workers in abroad that included complications related to passports and financial hardship.
Bangladesh's economy depends on the remittances of about US$30 billion sent by a total of 13 million workers, he said, terming the joint initiative a timely one to make their lives easier and more dignified.
Presenting her keynote paper, Jasiya Khatoon, member secretary of TUCSAA, said migrant workers are facing a number of problems, including cheating, discrimination and harassment, while female migrants face more difficulties and discrimination.
"A number of organisations are working in a fragmented way which needs collaboration,” she said, adding the alliance can meet the need for a unified voice as a collective platform for promoting coordination, transparency and accountability in the migration governance sector.