ZCZC
BSS-37
MOMEN-SAFE-MIGRATION
Safe migration is Bangladesh’s political priority: Momen
DHAKA, Jan 22, 2020 (BSS) – Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said establishment of safe, orderly and regular migration is a Bangladesh government’s political priority as per election manifesto of ruling Awami League.
“With more than 1.1 million Rohingyas at hand, we understand very well the mayhem if such unsafe, disorderly and irregular movement of people takes place anywhere,” he said.
Momen was addressing a policy forum on “Road to Implementing Global Compact on Migration (GCM)” at Ecuadorian capital Quito on Tuesday, according to a message received here today.
The foreign minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government has given highest importance to the process of migration.
“Bangladesh does not consider migration just as another international issue. We consider migration as an integral path to development both for the host as well as the country of origin,” he said.
Momen said Bangladesh has selected skilled migration as a priority part of the nationwide celebration of birth centenary of its founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The foreign minister said Bangladesh government is pledge-bound to provide safety and security to every native and foreign citizen in Bangladesh.
“We’ve several hundred thousand foreign nationals working in Bangladesh in various industrial sectors. They’re working peacefully and no complaint has been heard regarding their stay and work in Bangladesh,” he said.
Bangladesh was at the forefront of any effort or action regarding migration and GCM was no exception, he added.
“We first wrote to the UN Secretary General about the urgency of such a compact which our Hon’ble Prime Minister further described and reinforced at UN in 2016,” Momen said
The foreign minister said Bangladesh United Nations Network for Migration (BDUNNM), launched last year as first in the world, has developed a review template to identify ongoing-efforts supporting for GCM actions to determine way forward.
Noting that Bangladesh has been a source, transit and destination country for migration, he said “So we have taken all necessary preparations so that our citizens and the whole society can be better equipped to take advantage of the global understanding through GCM.”
Regional Coordinator of Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA) William Gois also spoke on the occasion.
BSS/PR/TA/MMA/2045hrs